KEY POINTS

  • Mukesh Ambani's security spotted the car outside his home and informed local police
  • The car contained 20 gelatin sticks, but no detonator: Mumbai police
  • Police found a letter in the car, which called the incident a "trailer"
     

An SUV with explosive material was found parked near the house of Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man and the world's 13th richest, raising worries about his security Thursday.

The chairman of Reliance Industries lives in a luxurious, 27-story building called Antilia in Carmichael Road, an upmarket residential street in Mumbai. The SUV was spotted by Ambani’s security detail, who then informed the Mumbai police.

The car bore a registration number similar to that of a vehicle in Ambani’s security fleet. Mumbai Police said they had found a letter written in "broken English with grammatical mistakes," addressed to Ambani and his wife Neeta Ambani. Reports quoting unnamed police sources said the letter called the car with explosives a "trailer."

A police officer told local media that the security detail was alerted of the explosives by sniffing dogs. “The bomb squad personnel were then called in and they scanned the articles found in the vehicle. They identified these as gelatin,” the officer was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Gelatin sticks are usually used in stone quarries for blasting but have been used in past terror attacks and also by extremist left-wing organizations in India to target security forces. Reports said the gelatin sticks in the SUV had no detonator attached, without which they could not have been set off.

A total of 20 gelatin sticks were found and they were moved to a safe place following standard procedures, the police added.

Police have registered a complaint against unidentified persons in the case. The Mumbai Police is investigating the case, and the state's anti-terrorism squad is looking at any possible terror angle.

Ambani has a 24x7 security cover, under the Z+ category — the highest protection the Indian government provides. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets the same level of protection. Ambani reportedly pays $22,000 a month for the security and provides living quarters for the personnel.

Ambani also has his own personal security cover, provided by former commandos of the elite National Security Guard.

Reliance Industries has not commented on the incident yet.

India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, whose Reliance is acquiring Future Group for $3.4 billion
India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, whose Reliance is acquiring Future Group for $3.4 billion AFP / CHANDAN KHANNA
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