NIA launches probe into hijacking of explosives-laden truck
1
2
Bhubaneswar/Rourkela: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday launched a probe into the hijacking of a truck carrying four tonnes of explosive materials by Maoists in Sundargarh district.
Agencies are trying to retrieve the gelatin sticks that were there in the truck, hijacked on Tuesday, amid concerns it could be used to target personnel engaged in anti-Maoist operations.
"The NIA is conducting a preliminary inquiry about the circumstances leading to the incident. Security personnel of Odisha and neighbouring Jharkhand, and CRPF have been jointly working on the case. We have intensified patrolling and set up checkpoints at key locations, bordering Jharkhand," DIG (western range) Brijesh Rai said.
On Tuesday morning, around 25-30 armed Maoists stormed the stone quarry under K Balang police station limits in Rourkela, near Saranda forests, bordering Jharkhand. They hijacked the truck along with the driver. The Maoists released him about 1 km from the quarry after unloading the explosive materials near Saranda forests. The incident occurred hours after top Maoist leader Tulsi Bhuinya was gunned down in Palamu district in Jharkhand.
"This is a matter of grave concern as these explosives could be potentially used for anti-national activities, particularly against security forces engaged in anti-Maoist operations. We are working closely with the NIA and Jharkhand police to track and recover the stolen materials," another senior police officer told TOI.
According to sources, the NIA has formed special teams to track the movement of Maoist groups in the region and recover the stolen explosives.
A high-level meeting was conducted between NIA officials and senior police officers from Odisha and Jharkhand to coordinate the investigation and develop strategic responses.
DGP Y B Khurania, who chaired the meeting, has been camping in Sundargarh along with other senior officers since Wednesday.
The Maoist incident comes after prolonged period of reduced LWE activity in Odisha. The situation is particularly concerning as the ministry of home affairs had declared Sundargarh Maoist-free in April 2024.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"We are trying our best to get her out of jail",: says influencer Sharmishta Panoli's advocate, Md Samimuddin
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 3 (ANI): Following the arrest of social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli on May 30 for hurting religious sentiments, now her lawyer, Md Samimuddi, reveals that her health is deteriorating due to poor hygiene and lack of medical care at Alipore Women's Correctional Home. Samimuddin says, 'We are trying our best to get her out of jail before June 13. We will discuss the matter today. We will decide in one or two days about what to Alipore Women's Correctional Home, proper hygiene is not being maintained around her, and she is unwell. She has kidney stones. She is not being given access to newspapers and magazines. Today we have filed a petition in the court so that she gets access to her basic rights... Sharmistha is innocent. We are trying our best to get out on bail...'. Earlier on June 1, Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman of the Bar Council of India and Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, strongly condemned the arrest of law student Sharmishtha Panoli. Mishra denounced it as a grave miscarriage of justice and a direct attack on freedom of expression. Mishra asserted that the Bengal government and Kolkata Police have repeatedly demonstrated selective enforcement of the law, targeting individuals from specific communities while overlooking more serious offences committed by others. On June 2, a complaint was filed against Wazahat Khan Qadri -- the man whose FIR led to the law student's arrest. Prasun Maitra, an NGO president from North 24 Parganas, lodged a police complaint accusing Wazahat of repeatedly posting abusive, anti-Hindu posts from an X account. A 22-year-old law student from Pune, Sharmistha Panoli, was arrested by Kolkata Police in Gurugram on Friday for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with a video on Operation Sindoor. The Instagram clip, reportedly derogatory towards a particular religion, was later deleted. She also issued an unconditional apology on X and was remanded to judicial custody till June 13. On Saturday, Panoli was produced before the Alipore Court in Kolkata, which remanded her in judicial custody for 14 days. According to the Kolkata Police, several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, but the attempts were unsuccessful because Panoli and her family absconded. Subsequently, an arrest warrant was issued by the court, based on which she was arrested from Gurugram on Friday night. 'The case relates to an Instagram video by a lady named Sharmishta Panoli that hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community. FIR was lodged at the Garden Reach Police Station. Attempts to serve notice as per law couldn't be successful since the accused, with her family absconded. Subsequently, a warrant of arrest was issued by the court of law, based on which she was arrested from Gurgaon yesterday,' as per the Kolkata Police. However, Panoli had deleted the video and issued an apology on May 15. (ANI)
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Influencer Sharmistha Panoli's health worsens in jail; lawyer Md Samimuddi alleges denial of basic rights
KOLKATA: Social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli's lawyer, Md Samimuddi, reports her deteriorating health conditions at Alipore Women's Correctional Home following her arrest on May 30 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Samimuddin states, "We are trying our best to get her out of jail before June 13. We will discuss the matter today. We will decide in one or two days about what to Alipore Women's Correctional Home, proper hygiene is not being maintained around her, and she is unwell. She has kidney stones. She is not being given access to newspapers and magazines. Today we have filed a petition in the court so that she gets access to her basic rights. .. Sharmistha is innocent. We are trying our best to get out on bail...". On June 1, Bar Council of India Chairman and Supreme Court Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra criticised the arrest of law student Sharmishtha Panoli, describing it as unjust and an infringement on free expression. Mishra pointed out that the Bengal government and Kolkata Police have shown bias in law enforcement, targeting specific community members whilst ignoring serious offences by others. On June 2, NGO president Prasun Maitra from North 24 Parganas filed a complaint against Wazahat Khan Qadri, who had initially filed the FIR against Panoli. Maitra accused Wazahat of posting anti-Hindu content on X. Kolkata Police arrested the 22-year-old Pune law student in Gurugram for allegedly offensive content regarding . She removed the Instagram video and apologised on X before being placed in judicial custody until June 13. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Alipore Court ordered a 14-day judicial custody when Panoli appeared on Saturday. Kolkata Police reported unsuccessful attempts to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, who allegedly absconded. The court subsequently issued an arrest warrant, leading to her apprehension in Gurugram. Although Panoli had removed the contentious video and apologised on May 15, the Garden Reach Police Station processed the FIR regarding religious sentiment violation.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
UN assembly elects Germany's ex-foreign minister as next president after Russia demands secret vote
Annalena Baerbock addresses the United Nations general assembly after getting elected as president (AP) UNITED NATION: The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly elected Germany's former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock to be the next head of the 193-member world body in a secret-ballot vote demanded by Russia. Baerbock got 167 votes, almost double the 88 votes needed to win, while high-ranking German diplomat Helga Schmid received seven votes as a write-in and 14 countries abstained. Germany had nominated Schmid for the assembly presidency but replaced her with Baerbock after she lost her job as the country's foreign affairs chief in the recent election. The decision drew some criticism in Germany. When Baerbock appeared before the assembly to discuss her candidacy on May 15, Russia's deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky lashed into her, saying: "Ms Baerbock has repeatedly proved her incompetence, extreme bias and lack of understanding of the basic principles of diplomacy." Polyansky accused her of having pursued an "anti-Russia policy," which he said gave Russia reason to doubt that as General Assembly president, she would be "able to act in the interests of peace and dialogue." Baerbock brushed off Russia's request for a secret ballot. "I am grateful ... the overwhelming majority of member states have voted in favour of my candidacy, and I'm looking forward to work with all member states together in these challenging times," she said. Baerbock will replace current assembly president Philemon Yang, a former prime minister of Cameroon, at the start of the 80th session in September. She will preside over the annual gathering of world leaders in late September and anniversary events marking the founding of the United Nations in 1945. The one-year presidency of the General Assembly rotates by region. The assembly, which is the UN's most representative body, has taken the spotlight in reacting to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. That's because any action by the UN Security Council has been blocked by the veto power of Russia on Ukraine and the United States on Gaza. Baerbock said in her acceptance speech that the theme of her presidency will be "Better Together," stressing that the world is "walking on a tightrope of uncertainty" in very challenging times. The birth of the United Nations on the ashes of World War II "reminds us: We have lived through difficult times before," she said. "And it is up to us to take up these challenges." Baerbock pointed to more than 120 armed conflicts around the world today as another reminder that the UN's primary mission, "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war," remains unaccomplished. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Baerback will take the presidency as the world faces not only "conflicts, climate catastrophe, poverty and inequality" but divisions and mistrust. "Aid and development funding are drying up, and our institutions and structures still reflect the world of yesterday, not a vision of tomorrow," he said. "This is a moment for us to unite, to forge common solutions, and to take action to confront these challenges."
