Date:21/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/21/stories/2006092115470600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Despatch' of yet another arms consignment being probed

K.T. Sangameswaran

Hunt for Raghu stepped up in Nellore The police have found out that three consignments were sent to Andhra Pradesh; one in August last year and two in May this year.

CHENNAI: The police are trying to find out whether Raghu alias Srinivasa Reddy of Nellore, wanted in connection with the seizure of rocket shells and launchers in Andhra Pradesh early this month, had sent any other weapons consignment from Chennai.

The police have found out that three consignments were sent to Andhra Pradesh; one in August last year and two in May this year.

They have information that yet another consignment may have been sent. "This is being verified," a senior police officer said when contacted.

The police say based on information from the Andhra Pradesh police, when records of the lorry transport company at Mannurpet in Ambattur, were verified, it was found that the gunny bags containing the consignments had been booked as "spinning mill spares" by a person claiming himself to be Srinivasa Reddy.

While two consignments, sent on August 10, 2005, and May 9, 2006 were addressed to Srinivasa Reddy at Vijayawada, the third was addressed to Ram Reddy at Nellore. Seven persons, including the agent of the transport company at Mannurpet, have been arrested and are in police custody.

The police are trying to find out if Raghu had sent any other parcel and, if so, the name of the transport operator and the destination. The police had earlier said that only after the arrest of Raghu, belonging to a naxalite group in Andhra Pradesh, would it be known whether he had produced any component in his unit, Bharath Fine Engineering, at Padi.

Meanwhile, the hunt for Raghu and his wife, Sudharani, who escaped from Chennai on September 9, has been stepped up in Nellore district.