Explosive in aircraft: Prime suspect in custody, say police

In a breakthrough in the case of planting of crude explosive material in the cargo-hold of a Kingfisher aircraft in Thiruvananthapuram last week, police today said it has taken into custody the prime suspect in the case.

The man, a former contract employee at the airport, is suspected to have planted the explosive in the aircraft, police said but discounted any terror link in the incident.

The investigators, however, declined to disclose the man's name and said that it would be revealed after completing all formalities.

He was taken into custody two days ago and is being interrogated, sources said.

"There are strong reasons to believe that he is the key person behind the incident," a senior police official told PTI without elaborating further.

Some crude explosive material wrapped in paper was found in the cargo-hold of a Kingfisher flight which arrived in Thiruvanthapuram from Bangalore last Sunday.

A police team led by city commissioner MR Ajith Kumar has been probing the case here and in Bangalore and several persons have been questioned in connection with the case.