Home Ministry orders more control on small industrial units

New Delhi, Oct 5 (UNI) The Union Home Ministry today asked Tamil Nadu to keep a close watch on small industrial units across the state in the light of unearthing of several such units in Chennai supplying spare parts used for weapons, rockets and launchers meant for Naxalites in Andhra pradesh.

The Ministry also asked Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to monitor the supply of explosives for the purposes of well digging and stone quarries and whether they were used for the purposes for which they were bought.

Union Home Secretary V K Duggal today held an hour-long meeting with Tamil Nadu Director General of Police D Mukherjee and Andhra Pradesh Inspector General (Intelligence) Arvind Rao in the context of the seizure of nearly 900 rocket launchers and other weapons in Andhra Pradesh early last month. Mr Rao deputised for Andhra pradesh DGP, Mr Swaranjit Sen, who is on a foreign tour, in the meeting.

Home Ministry sources said the meeting reviewed the progress of the cases registered in both the states.

"We have discussed the details of the case relating to arms smuggling and also the outcome of the investigation so far," Mr Mukherjee told mediapersons after the meeting.

He said preventive measures to be taken on arms smuggling were aso discussed.

Mr Mukherjee said six owners of small industrial units manufacturing spare parts used in arms and rocket launchers have been arrested. Another person, a transport agent, was also taken into custody. Several people were arrested in Andhra pradesh also.

He said these small units were found to have been manufacturing spare parts for being used in weapons for Naxalites.

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