Maharashtra Police had confiscated material weighing about 7 kg from two suspected persons.
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has informed vide letter dated 13th May, 2021 regarding the confiscated material – Natural Uranium
1) Natural Uranium seized in this case is currently in the safe custody of the DAE
2) It is used as fuel in nuclear power generation and among non-nuclear applications it can be used as shielding material in teletherapy units and as counter weight material in aircraft etc.
3) It is a radioactive element, it emits alpha particles, which are stoppable even by thin paper sheet or human skin. However, ingestion of Natural Uranium particles can cause harm to living beings (both radiological and chemical).
4) The incident has been reported to the Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
5) India has a robust legal and regulatory framework for safety and security of nuclear and radioactive materials.
Further detailed investigations on the matter are being carried out by the relevant investigating agencies.