Vehicle with explosives outside Antilia bore same number plate as family’s security convoy car

The abandoned SUV that had 21 gelatin sticks in it. Pic/Ashish Raje

An abandoned Scorpio SUV with more than 20 gelatin sticks was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence on Thursday. The vehicle which bore the same number plate as that of a Range Rover used in the Ambani family's security convoy, was noticed by security personnel at Antilia - the Ambani residence - who informed the Mumbai police. They found 21 gelatin sticks, and a threat note in the vehicle. According to sources, each gelatin stick weighed 125 gm and could have blown up the entire vehicle if it was attached to an explosive mechanism.

According to sources, the chief of security staff of Antilia informed senior officers of Mumbai police after he noticed the abandoned vehicle outside Shikhar Kunj building, a few hundred metres away from Antilia. "The vehicle had the number of a Range Rover used in the Ambani family's security. Six other number plates were also found in the vehicle," said a police officer.

A team of the Mumbai police reached the spot at around 2:30pm and the vehicle was towed by the traffic police after it was checked by the bomb and dog squad. "During the search we found a note with messages to someone, and cannot reveal more as of now," the officer added.

Rajesh Singh, who has a grocery shop just opposite Shikhar Kunj building, said, "Every morning I open my grocery shop at 8am. On Thursday I saw the vehicle. In the afternoon suddenly some police came with the dog squad to check the vehicle and found some explosives and multiple numbers of other vehicles inside it. I saw in my shop's CCTV that the vehicle was parked at around 1 am on Wednesday. The police also took the CCTV footage for investigation."

"A suspicious vehicle was found on Carmichael Road today evening in the limits of the Gamdevi police station. The police were alerted. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and other police teams reached the spot immediately, examined the vehicle, and found some explosive material - gelatin - inside. It is not an assembled explosive device. Further investigation is on," said S Chaitanya, spokesperson of Mumbai police. Looking at the sensitivity of the incident, the case was transferred to the Mumbai police."A suspicious vehicle was found near Mukesh Ambani's residence with some gelatin sticks in it. The matter is being probed by Mumbai Crime Branch," said Anil Deshmukh, home minister Maharashtra.

The Mumbai police took serious note of the incident and a company each of SRPF and QRT was deployed outside Antilia on Altamount road. A team of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad and a forensic team visited the spot.