Fresh recovery of Maoists-looted explosives in Odisha

In a fresh recovery of explosive substances looted by Left Wing Extremists in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, security forces have retrieved 700 kilograms of the looted materials hidden deep inside the dense forest area of the district, in a refreshing relief for the government agencies, a senior police official informed on Wednesday.

Of the estimated 4,000 kilograms of looted materials, around 2,500 kilograms of explosives were recovered yesterday. This includes around 3,200 kilograms of explosive gelatin used in blasting mines. Therefore, a sizable chunk of the looted substances has now been retrieved. The official confided that they are hopeful of making a cent percent recovery.

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The Maoists, after waylaying two truckloads of explosives on 27 May, had made their way to the Saranda forest cover along the Odisha-Jharkhand border. The explosives were hidden inside ditches and trenches dug out by the Maoists, added the officials.

The joint security operation is presently underway in the inaccessible hilly terrain and forest cover by the Central Reserve Police Force, Special Operation Groups of Odisha and Jharkhand police, and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA). The mission of the exercise is to retrieve the explosives and launch a crackdown on the Maoists’ hideout, added the official.

The sensational loot of two truckloads of explosives had posed a headache to the government agencies of both Odisha and Jharkhand, prompting the agencies of both States and security forces to carry out an intense operation to thwart possible subversive activities by red rebels.

Gauging the gravity of the turn of events, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took up the matter in all seriousness, deputing a team of officials to the Sundargarh district to expedite the probe of the daring loot by the red rebels.

Side by side with the recovery of explosives, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by Odisha police to crack the loot has taken into custody Shravan Agrawal, the owner of the explosive warehouse in Badgaon area of Sundargarh district, which borders Jharkhand.

Meanwhile, Odisha police have stepped up security for the carriers of consignment of explosives to prevent the substances from falling into the hands of Maoists yet again. The explosives are required for blasting quarries and mines in the mineral-rich areas of Odisha. The quarry and mine owners are allowed to make use of the materials only after they are authorised to do so by the government agencies, including the State’s mining directorate, the officials stated.