Indian army seizes hundreds of mines in eastern city

INDIA: Indian army soldiers uncovered a major arms haul in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal bordering Bangladesh, that was to be used to carry out terror attacks, a defence spokesman said.

The cache included 543 anti-personnel mines, as well as ammunition and was recovered from West Bengal's state capital Kolkata, said R.K. Das, spokesman for the Indian army's eastern command.

"Three people have been arrested in connection with the seizure. They are being interrogated," he said.

"This is the biggest seizure seizure of explosives in the eastern region in recent times," he added.

Senior Kolkata police official P K Chattopadhyay said security was stepped up in the city after the seizure, as Kolkata had become a major transit route for arms supplies meant for the many insurgent outfits and Maoist rebel groups operating in India.

Security was also tightened along West Bengal's border with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, a border official said.

KOLKATA, Friday, AFP