Material seized in Kolkata not radioactive: DAE

September 03, 2021 18:09

The material seized in Kolkata

The department of atomic energy on Friday clarified that the material seized from two persons in Kolkata was non-radioactive and not the highly expensive 'californium' as suspected earlier.

The persons were arrested from Kolkata airport by the West Bengal police last Thursday with 250 gm of what was then suspected to be californium worth Rs 4,250 crore, as per media reports.

After inspection of the material and relevant laboratory analyses of the material, the DAE clarified that the material was not californium.

Also, it is confirmed that the material was of natural origin and it is not radioactive, an official statement from the department said.

Media reports had said the material was found engraved inside stones by a CID team, which arrested the two persons. Four ash-coloured stones, weighing about 250 gm, were also recovered from the arrested duo.

Californium is said to be used in nuclear power plants, and the CID was reported to be investigating the source of the material.

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