10 Tonnes of Explosives Seized from Cattle Shed in Odisha’s Ganjam: 3 Arrested
Along with the explosives, the police recovered Rs 4 lakh in cash, two vehicles, and six mobile phones.
Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown, Odisha’s Kandhamal police seized nearly 10 tonnes of explosives from a model cattle shed in Jagannathpur village under Chamakhandi police limits in Odisha Ganjam district on Sunday evening, exposing a well-organised illegal supply network.
Briefing the media at Tumudibandha police station, Baliguda sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Ramendra Prasad said three persons were arrested in connection with the case — Alok Kumar Patra of Sorada (Ganjam), Hemant Sethi of Gopalpur (Ganjam), and Shakti Ranjan Dash of Bhawanipatna (Kalahandi).
Along with the explosives, the police recovered Rs 4 lakh in cash, two vehicles, and six mobile phones.
“It is a sensitive case, and investigations are underway to determine the full scale of the operation,” SDPO Prasad said.
According to police, Hemant Sethi allegedly procured explosives in bulk using fake GST bills, stockpiled them in cattle sheds, and supplied them to stone quarry and crusher owners across the state. Preliminary findings suggest he had been running the racket for several years. Police suspect he is the mastermind and are probing possible links to Maoist groups in affected regions.
The case surfaced during a routine vehicle-checking drive at Rampur Square on the night of August 15, coinciding with Janmashtami celebrations. Tumudibandha police intercepted a pickup van loaded with explosives en route from Ganjam to Kalahandi, leading to the breakthrough.