NIA arrests 3 more in Malappuram explosives case, total accused rises to 11
Synopsis
What began as a Kerala Police lorry interception in February 2026 — yielding nearly 90,000 explosive sticks — has grown into an NIA probe spanning three states. Friday's arrests of three licensed explosives dealers from Karnataka signal that the agency believes the supply chain ran through legitimate trade channels, making the network harder to detect and potentially wider than the 11 accused so far suggest.
Key Takeaways
The NIA arrested Mantagoud Biradar , Bapagoud Bheeramaya Choudri , and Prakash Gauda Biradar from Vijayapura, Karnataka on 7 August 2026 .
Total arrests in the Malappuram explosives case now stand at 11 , with six made in earlier phases.
The original seizure on 7 February 2026 recovered 89,600 explosive sticks and 10,500 NONEL shock tubes from a lorry in Malappuram.
The NIA has conducted searches at 19 locations across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu .
All three newly arrested accused were reportedly licensed explosives dealers who allegedly sold the consignment in violation of legal requirements.
The NIA says investigation is continuing to uncover the full network behind the illegal explosives trade.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday, 7 August arrested three more accused in connection with the seizure of a massive cache of illegal explosives in Malappuram district, Kerala, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to 11. The three men were picked up from Vijayapura district in Karnataka, where they are natives.
Who Was Arrested
The newly arrested accused have been identified as Mantagoud Biradar, Bapagoud Bheeramaya Choudri, and Prakash Gauda Biradar, all residents of Vijayapura, Karnataka. According to the NIA, all three were licensed dealers or users of explosives but allegedly sold the seized consignment in violation of applicable legal requirements.
The Original Seizure
The case originates from a Kerala Police operation on 7 February 2026, when officers intercepted a lorry bearing registration number KL 10 BF 8395 parked inside the compound of Farha Hollow Bricks Company, opposite an Indian Oil petrol pump on the Chemmad-Thalappara Road in Malappuram. The vehicle was found to be carrying 89,600 explosive sticks packed in 448 boxes and 10,500 NONEL shock tubes packed in 35 boxes. The persons intercepted could not produce valid licences or permissions for possession or transportation of the material and were immediately arrested.
NIA Takes Over the Investigation
The case was subsequently re-registered by the NIA as RC-01/2026/NIA/KOC. During the course of its probe, the agency conducted searches at 19 locations spread across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The material recovered during those searches reportedly pointed investigators toward the three accused arrested on Friday.
Scale of the Network and What Comes Next
With six arrests having been made in earlier phases and three more added on Friday, the total accused count now stands at 11. The NIA has stated that the investigation is ongoing and is focused on identifying all individuals involved in the illegal procurement, sale, transportation, and possession of the explosives, as well as uncovering the complete network behind the consignment. This comes amid heightened federal scrutiny of explosives trafficking routes that span multiple southern and western states, a pattern investigators have flagged in several prior NIA cases.
Point of View
At least in part, through regulated trade, which is far more difficult to detect and prosecute. The NIA's multi-state search sweep across 19 locations also signals that investigators believe the network is considerably larger than 11 people. If licensed dealers are the weak link, the regulatory framework governing explosives distribution in India deserves as much scrutiny as the criminal network itself.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Malappuram explosives case?
The Malappuram explosives case involves the seizure of 89,600 explosive sticks and 10,500 NONEL shock tubes from a lorry in Malappuram district, Kerala, on 7 February 2026. The NIA took over the investigation and has since made 11 arrests across Kerala and Karnataka.
Who were arrested by the NIA on 7 August 2026?
The NIA arrested Mantagoud Biradar, Bapagoud Bheeramaya Choudri, and Prakash Gauda Biradar — all natives of Vijayapura district in Karnataka. They are reportedly licensed explosives dealers who allegedly sold the seized consignment in violation of legal requirements.
How many people have been arrested in the Malappuram explosives case so far?
As of 7 August 2026, a total of 11 people have been arrested in the case — six in earlier phases and three more on Friday. The NIA has indicated that further arrests are possible as the investigation continues.
Which states are connected to the NIA's explosives investigation?
The NIA has conducted searches at 19 locations across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu as part of its investigation into the illegal procurement, sale, and transportation of the explosives seized in Malappuram.
Why did the NIA take over the Malappuram explosives case?
The case was re-registered by the NIA as RC-01/2026/NIA/KOC after the scale and inter-state nature of the explosives seizure indicated it fell within the agency's mandate to investigate threats to national security. The original arrests were made by the Kerala Police on 7 February 2026.
