Guwahati, April. 12 (PTI): One kilogram of enriched uranium, suspected to have been stolen from a government facility in Meghalaya has been seized from three men who tried to sell it, police sources said today.
A packet containing the uranium bore the marking 'Department of Atomic Energy, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research Centre, North Eastern Region, Shillong', the sources said.
Two more markings on the packet 'explosive number 2000/LG/ 27-D' and 'B/337 Enriched Uranium' indicated that the substance was high grade uranium used as fuel at nuclear power stations.
Three men, who had earlier asked for several crores of rupees for the uranium, were approached by police personnel posing as customers yesterday. The men after bargaining agreed to sell the uranium for Rs 50 lakhs, the sources said.
The three persons, identified as Dhiren Bharali, Krishna Das and Nirod Das, were arrested and booked under the Explosives Act and a case was registered against them at the Panbazar police station.
The uranium was sent to a forensic laboratory for tests, the sources added.
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