Looted Explosives Recovered After Gunfight With Maoists
Rourkela Superintendent of Police (SP) Nitesh Wadhwani confirmed the formation of the SIT, stating that the team’s immediate priority would be to trace the supply network of the explosives and identify local sympathisers aiding the Maoists.
Bhubaneswar: In a significant breakthrough, security forces on Friday recovered more than three tonnes of explosives that were looted by Maoist insurgents earlier this week from Sundargarh district in Odisha. The recovery came after a fierce exchange of fire between security personnel and the ultras in a dense forest along the Odisha-Jharkhand border.
According to official sources, the gunfight broke out nearly 20 kilometres inside Jharkhand territory, prompting coordinated combing operations by security teams from both states. The firefight was still ongoing at the time of filing this report, with no immediate confirmation on casualties or arrests.
The Maoists, who continue to wage an armed rebellion against the state, had looted the explosives on Tuesday by intercepting a truck carrying nearly four tonnes of commercial-grade materials intended for a stone quarry in the Banko locality of Sundargarh district. Armed with sophisticated weapons, at least eight insurgents reportedly waylaid the vehicle under K Balang police limits, driving it deep into the forest where they were joined by a larger group of around 40 cadres. The explosives were then swiftly unloaded and concealed within the dense foliage.
The incident underscored the persistent security challenges posed by left-wing extremists in the region. Sundargarh district and the adjoining areas of Jharkhand have long been considered Maoist strongholds, with intermittent violence and ambushes targeting both security forces and infrastructure projects.
In a prompt response to the high-profile heist, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was entrusted with the probe, while a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was also constituted earlier on Friday to assist in the investigation. The SIT, led by an Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), comprises four members and will work closely with central and state intelligence units.
Rourkela Superintendent of Police (SP) Nitesh Wadhwani confirmed the formation of the SIT, stating that the team’s immediate priority would be to trace the supply network of the explosives and identify local sympathisers aiding the Maoists.
Security experts have voiced concern over the potential use of such a large cache of explosives for improvised explosive device (IED) attacks against security convoys, mining operations, and public infrastructure in the region.
As tensions continue to simmer, authorities have intensified patrolling and surveillance along key transit routes and vulnerable installations in both Odisha and Jharkhand.
