Mumbai: Nearly 600 empty and unused mortars and rockets were seized near Karjat town in Raigad district of Konkan, some 80 kms from Mumbai last night (Oct 14, 2004), police said.

The ammunition was found dumped in the Nawande nullah on the Mumbai-Goa highway, a few kms from Karjat town, in the jurisdiction of Khalapur police station of Raigad district, police said, adding that 20 gunny bags that contained this scrap, has been seized.

Raigad police have informed the bomb detection and disposal squad to examine the seized consignment, police said.

The seized material contained 461 empty mortars and rockets, 113 unused but expired ammunition, and some steel spare parts of four-wheelers, Raigad police sources said.

Senior police officials have not ruled out possibility that the consignment could have been deserted in wake of police probe into recent seizures of ammunition in various places near Mumbai.