RDX not used in Pulwama attack, suggests preliminary probe

New Delhi, Feb 15: The preliminary probe into the Pulwama terror attack that killed at least 44 CRPF Jawans in South Kashmir's Pulwama district, suggested that highly explosive substance - RDX - may not have been used.

Initial investigation has suggested that instead of RDX, ordinary chemicals, which are used in making fertilisers, were used to make explosives in the Pulwama attack.

The info regarding the nature of the explosives used in attack emerged after forensic experts from the central probe agencies like NIA and the NSG collected samples from the attack site in Pulwama on Friday.

It can also be recalled that RDX - the Research Department Explosive - has not been used in any terrorist attack in Kashmir in over a decade and the terror outfits have largely relied on Ammonium Nitrate based explosives in Kashmir in recent years.

If security agencies confirm that RDX has been used then it must be ascertained how it entered Kashmir. Whether it was smuggled across the border, or was it made locally. If made locally then how were the raw materials procured? These are few of the questions that the probing agencies will have to ponder over.

What is RDX?

RDX is an organic compound, a white solid without smell or taste, widely used as an explosive. RDX is an organic compound, a white solid without smell or taste, widely used as an explosive. A more powerful explosive than TNT, it was used widely in World War II and remains common in military applications. It is considered as a military grade explosive. RDX was widely used during World War II, often in explosive mixtures with TNT such as Torpex, Composition B, Cyclotols, and H6. RDX, when exploded in air, has about 1.5 times the explosive energy of TNT per unit weight and about 2.0 times per unit volume.