Siliguri, Jan. 10: A day after 300 detonators were found stacked in a gunny bag on the narrow-gauge platform at New Jalpaiguri Station, police and other security agencies are trying to figure out whether the explosives were stolen from a larger consignment or formed part of an abortive trap laid by militants.

The railway police have sought the help of the CID while the Subsidiary Intelligence Branch has been asked to conduct a separate inquiry into the matter. The recovery assumes greater significance in the view of the fact that intelligence agencies had already alerted identified the NJP station as a “high-value” strike zone for militant groups.

The police have also sought assistance from the Hyderabad-based Indian Explosives Limited, which supplies explosive devices to the army and security agencies. The packets found yesterday had a logo embossed on it, which read IDL, Hyderabad.

“We have contacted the IEL to ascertain whether the packets were part of any major consignment sent by them,” a senior police officer said.

Security agencies are also trying to verify the “existence” of IDL in Hyderabad.

“Yesterday’s incident could be part of a larger design of the militants to create tension in the region,” said a senior district police officer.

A security cordon has been thrown around the station following the recovery of the explosives. The Government Railway Police has deployed additional personnel to conduct checks, especially on long-distance trains. The Railway Protection Force has also initiated random checks at “vulnerable points” within the station.

The packets, containing 300 detonators, were spotted by the RPF during a routine anti-sabotage check. The packets have been handed over to the GRP for investigation.

The army has confirmed that the packets did not belong to them. Detonators sent for the army are packed differently and bear a batch number, explained a senior officer.

“The General Reserve Engineering Force, a wing of the Border Roads Organisation, has also been apprised of the quality of the detonators. The question is now whether the packets were stolen from a bigger consignment. We suspect that the people who were carrying the detonators, fled seeing the security personnel, leaving the packets on the platform,” said inspector-general of police (north) Bhupinder Singh.

Security commissioner of the RPF (NJP) Kalyan Kumar Dasgupta said: “We will also question railway officials who were present on the spot.”