13 hours ago
Lens on quarry owners-Maoist link after seizure of explosives from Kandhamal and Ganjam districts
BHUBANESWAR/BERHAMPUR : Even as the Centre has set March 2026 deadline to eradicate Naxalism in the country, the alleged nexus between Maoists and mines/stone quarry owners in the state has come under the scanner of Odisha Police after seizure of over nine tonne of explosives from Kandhamal and Ganjam districts.
Police sources said about 9.4 tonne of explosives including gelatin sticks and boosters were seized from Tumudibandha in Kandhamal and Jagannathpur in Ganjam on August 15 and 16. A stone quarry owner along with two other persons were arrested in this connection.
At least 4,000 detonators were also seized from the three accused. The seized detonators were reportedly manufactured by a firm in Andhra Pradesh. Earlier on July 17, police had seized about 600 detonators of the same brand from a Maoist dump in Kandhamal district during a combing operation.
Briefing mediapersons here on Monday, ADG Operations Sanjeeb Panda said acting on a tip-off, Tumudibandha police conducted a raid while the explosives were being transported from Kandhamal to Bhawanipatna on August 15 night. The driver transporting them was arrested after he failed to produce any valid document regarding transportation of such a large consignment of explosives.
