BHARUCH, May 23: In Bharuch, the wedding processions of the rich are not accompanied by crackers. Rather, they prefer to ignite signalling flares of British make, locally known as tottas, emulating the guns that are fired in the air during Punjabi and Pathani marriages.

Explosives are found aplenty in this district, which has been officially categorised as ``communally and politically most sensitive''. Besides the signalling flares, gelignite sticks which are normally used in quarrying and old-fashioned Trinitrotoluene (TNT) -- dubbed as masala in its powder form and ``plastic'' in its clayish mouldable version -- are readily and abundantly available in the market.

They are as easily procured as a bottle of bootleg liquor. This reporter was offered flares for Rs 200 apiece. Gelignite sticks were available at the same rate.

Most of the dealers display an amazing nonchalance about their illegal trade. Businessmen including builders and construction contractors even boast of having an adequate stock of explosive. Dabbling in panchayat politics in the villages, which are mostly populated by tribals, they consider themselves influential.

Last month's blast, in which Congress leader Kanaksinh Vasawa and two others were killed when explosives in their van were accidentally triggered off, further highlighted the flourishing illegal trade in the area. Vasawa and his companions were transporting the explosives in their van from the district when the mishap occurred on April 23.

Reports said that the explosives were actually meant for Chhotubhai Casavam, a Janata Dal leader in the district who has won a considerable following among the tribals. According to forensic experts, the van was carrying gelignite sticks and signalling flares.

Following last month's incident, the State Government launched a drive to check if the 100 odd licensed explosive dealers in the Rajpipla, Jahgadia and Rajpaldi ares had sold stocks illegally. However, no action was taken against the numerous illegal dealers.

The police department has also displayed reluctance to follow up on the 32 kg of explosives that were seized from ``some tribals'' in mid-1996. Although they admit that they have records of the seizures, top police officials refuse to speak further on the issue.

Former district superintendent of police (DSP) Manoj Antani, who was transferred recently and District Collector S Aparna outrightly deny that there is widespread sale of explosives in the region. The newly-posted DSP, Ashish Bhatia, can only recall the 1992 seizure of RDX and AK-47s.

Meanwhile, the illegal explosives trade continues unchecked, encouraged by the widespread mining and quarrying in the district. Explosives for blasting rocks are always in short supply from licensed dealers, making illegal trade all the more profitable.

The large-scale, though haphazard construction in Surat, Ankleshwar, Bharuch and Rajpipla has also fed the business. A senior administrator revealed that most of the available gelignite and TNT is procured by illegal traders from Government explosives factories or stolen while being transported from there. Besides, licensed dealers are always ready to siphon away stocks for more profit.

The flares are bought from the ship-breaking yard at Alang, near Bhavnagar. The flares, which shoot up to 200-300 feet, brightly illuminating the area, are put to innovative use by criminals in this tribal district. They are used for starting fires, destroying crops of rivals, providing light for surprise assaults at night and also for torture.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.