Madurai : About 1,500 kg of explosives, suspected to be bound for Sri Lanka, have been seized near here after the van carrying the consignment met with an accident, police said today.
The items, including gelatine sticks and detonators, were well packed in high quality polythene arousing suspicion that they were headed for the island nation via sea, police said.

The vehicle met with the accident at Manamadurai, about 40 km from here, late last night.

The driver, identified as Vijayakumar, was arrested, while Mohaideen, a native of Uchipuli near Ramanathapuram who had hired the vehicle, managed to escape after locking it from outside, they said.

Police had to break open the vehicle as the driver had fainted after the accident.

Further investigations were on, police said.