- By Akansha Pandey
- Sun, 16 Nov 2025 05:25 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The explosive used in the blast at Srinagar's Nowgam police station, following the recovery in Faridabad and the blast in Delhi, is ammonium nitrate. This easily available chemical has now become a challenge for intelligence and security agencies. Following the case of terrorists Shaheen and Arif in Kanpur, police teams in the Kanpur Commissionerate are on high alert per orders from police headquarters.
In the search operation for illegal storage of ammonium nitrate, 112 locations have been raided. Storage was found in some places, and the stock was checked, but no irregularities were found. Police are identifying more locations and conducting investigations in search of those involved in illegal storage.
Raids On Every License Holder And Other Locations
Vigilance has been increased after a new form of "white-collar terror" emerged recently, with this group including mostly doctors. Special precautions are being taken regarding ammonium nitrate. Police headquarters has ordered raids on every license holder (excluding fertiliser shops) and other locations where ammonium nitrate could be stored. If the chemical is found in excess of the permitted capacity, action will be taken against the concerned individuals. According to a senior police official, 112 places have been checked in Kanpur so far, but no such case has come to light.
Ammonium Nitrate Is Cheap And Effective Over Long Distances Even In Small Quantities
According to experts, the terrorists' "white-collar terror" group used ammonium nitrate for the explosion because a blast from just 10 kg of ammonium nitrate can have a serious impact up to a 15 to 20-meter radius. A key point is that the larger the quantity, the more powerful the explosion. Investigating agencies believe there is a fear that this extremely cheap chemical could be used as a major weapon by terrorists in the coming days. Therefore, vigilance against this threat has been increased.
Buildings Could Collapse In Blast
Dr. SVAR Shastri of the Chemical Engineering Department at HBTU explained that if the 350 kg of ammonium nitrate recovered in Faridabad had exploded, it could cause massive devastation within a 100-meter radius. This blast would be so powerful that buildings within the radius would collapse, and it would generate energy equivalent to 140 kg of Trinitrotoluene (TNT). He stated that ammonium nitrate is cheap, but its easy availability could also make it an uncontrolled hazard.
Ammonium Nitrate Quantity and Blast Devastation:
20 Pound Pressure: At 15-20 meters, buildings will collapse, and there will be a large number of deaths within this radius.
10 Pound Pressure: Up to 30-40 meters, major damage to houses, people will be seriously injured.
5 Pound Pressure: Up to 50-60 meters, cracks in house walls and damage to vehicles.
3.5 Pound Pressure: Up to 80-100 meters, moderate impact. Injuries will occur, and glass in homes and windows will break.
Also Read: Bomb Scare On Swatantrata Sangram Senani Express: Train Halted, Searched In Aligarh
Ammonium Nitrate And RDX
According to Dr SVAR Shastri, both ammonium nitrate and RDX (Research Department Explosive) are explosives. RDX is used in military weapons, while ammonium nitrate is used in agriculture and mining. Ammonium nitrate is cheap and used in making fertiliser for farming. On the other hand, according to experts, the detonation velocity of RDX is 8,750 meters per second, while that of ammonium nitrate is only 3,000-5,000 meters per second. RDX is highly sensitive and can be detonated with a spark or impact, whereas ammonium nitrate is less sensitive and requires a booster (like a detonator). However, it is also now a subject of research whether the terrorists used any other chemical to trigger the explosion in both blasts.