Samjhauta: Forensic test confirms RDX

The Karnal laboratory had initially suggested that RDX was used in the blasts,which has now been confirmed by the Chandigarh lab,said officials.

8220;Probe agencies collected 20 exhibits during investigations. These included powder material,metallic pieces,yellow coloured liquid,burnt wooden pieces and burnt foam,8221; said an official.

The forensic report,accessed by The Indian Express,reveals that the first two exhibits sent to the lab were yellow coloured powder.

8220;The result stated that this yellow powder is a mix of potassium chlorate,sulphur and trinitrotoluene TNT with traces of RDX. However,the traces of RDX,whose chemical name is cyclonite was less in the Chandigarh lab test,as compared to the Karnal lab,8221; said a MHA official.

The Chandigarh lab report states that 50 per cent potassium chlorate and 40 per cent sulphur,along with 0.6 per cent of trinitrotoluene TNT and 1.2 per cent RDX,was detected in the samples.

Similarly,the test conducted by the Madhuban FSL had stated that TNT,potassium chlorate,sulphur and cyclonite RDX was used in the bombs. The two reports have helped the NIA to conclude that a cocktail of these chemicals and RDX was used during the blasts.

Officials said the suspicion that the Abhinav Bharat and Lt Col Srikant Purohit accused in the Malegaon blasts was involved in the attack has furthered deepened with these reports as Purohit was alleged to have supplied RDX for the blasts.

8220;The liquid in the Gehi pet bottles in which a piece of orange-coloured cloth smudged with green colour found inside each bottle was also examined in the lab. The report from the Chandigarh lab says these bottles contains oil of petroleum origin likely mix of high-speed diesel and kerosene oil while the Madhuban lab also opined the same but did not infer use of kerosene oil,8221; the report says.

The agency,which claimed to have made several breakthroughs in the case since it took over the probe last year,had also sent a melted metal piece to the Chandigarh lab but the test could not establish any common explosive and remained inconclusive. 8220;Similarly,the burnt wooden pieces of the coaches destroyed in the blasts were sent to labs. But the test could not establish conclusively as the pieces were burnt,states the report.

The NIA officials had earlier said they required more samples from the burnt coaches to establish their case conclusively. But when they contacted the railway officials,they found that the five damaged coaches had been disposed of or renovated.