Explosives looted by Maoists recovered in Joint Operation by Odisha and Jharkhand Forces

Security forces in an interstate coordinated endeavor achieved a major breakthrough in the sensational loot of two truckloads of explosives of around 4 tonnes by left-wing extremists in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, with the recovery of over 2.5 tonnes of looted explosive substances in a joint operation by Odisha and Jharkhand.

It has come as a refreshing relief for the law-enforcing agencies of both the bordering States, as apprehension of misuse of looted explosives by the left-wing extremists loomed large.

Advertisement

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 in Odisha, which borders Jharkhand, also.

“We have taken into custody Shraban Agarwal and a driver of one of his explosive-laden trucks. Police and SIT are investigating all the angles in this case,” said Rourkela Superintendent of Police Nitesh Wadhwani.

The cache was seized during a joint operation conducted by the Odisha Special Operations Group (SOG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Jharkhand Jaguar, and the District Voluntary Force (DVF) in the dense forests of Koida in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.

According to officials, the explosives—initially seized by Maoists in a meticulously planned ambush on 27 May near the Relahatu-Yanko area under Keblang police station in Odisha—were part of a consignment believed to weigh nearly five tonnes. The intercepted consignment was allegedly intended for onward transport to the Saranda forests, a known Maoist stronghold straddling the Jharkhand-Odisha border.

Intelligence inputs led to an intensive search and combing operation in the hilly terrain of Koida, where security personnel, aided by metal detectors and sniffer dogs, discovered the cache concealed underground. The operation, conducted under challenging conditions, spanned several hours through rugged forest tracts and hostile territory.

Odisha Police confirmed the seizure and stated that further search operations are continuing in adjacent areas. “We acted upon credible intelligence. The explosives were buried at multiple locations, suggesting a deliberate attempt to disperse and conceal the materials ahead of their intended movement into Saranda,” the officer said.

Security analysts believe the recovery is a setback for the Maoist insurgents, who have reportedly been facing a shortage of ammunition and explosives. The intercepted consignment would likely have been deployed in the manufacture of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and for offensive operations targeting security installations and patrol units.

The Superintendent of Police, Rourkela, confirmed the seizure via a post on X, commending the collaborative efforts of the participating security forces. “During joint operations of Odisha SOG, CRPF, Jharkhand Jaguars, and DVF on the Odisha-Jharkhand border, another seizure of more than 2.5 tonnes of explosives looted by Maoists on 27th May has been made. Further search operations are underway,” the post stated.

Meanwhile, Odisha’s Rourkela police have ordered a thorough audit of all the transactions of explosives from all the magazines within its jurisdiction.

”We are thoroughly examining the transactions of the last two years. Investigation is looking into the place of origin and destination of the explosive consignment, which was waylaid by the Maoists,” SP Rourkela said.

In another development, the two-member NIA team comprising officers of SP and an additional SP rank is conducting an investigation into the loot case.
The SP informed that the NIA team “so far, has not asked us to handover the case file of the loot.”
While the Maoists continue to maintain a limited presence in parts of Saranda and adjoining districts, persistent operations by joint forces over the past year have significantly disrupted their supply lines and territorial mobility.

The recovery comes amid heightened vigilance along the inter-state corridor and underscores the growing emphasis on cross-border intelligence-sharing and joint tactical manoeuvres to counter Left Wing Extremism in Eastern India.