Bhubaneswar. Odisha’s Director General of Police (DGP) YB Khurania has confirmed that Maoists were involved in the theft of approximately five tonnes of explosives in Sundargarh district. Of the nearly five tonnes of stolen gelatin sticks and high-intensity explosives, over 3.8 tonnes have been successfully recovered through a coordinated operation involving the Odisha and Jharkhand Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and other elite units. The incident occurred on May 27 when armed Maoists intercepted a truck carrying licensed commercial explosives near the Banko stone quarry under K. Balang police limits.
At a press conference on evening of June at the DGP camp office in Bhubaneswar, DGP Khurania stated, “Nearly 75 per cent of the stolen explosives have been recovered. All credit goes to the personnel involved in the extensive joint search operation, which is still ongoing. Our aim is full recovery.”
In response to the heist, the Odisha Police established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and intensified combing operations with the support of the Special Operations Group (SOG), CRPF, and COBRA unit.
The DGP also confirmed the arrest of Shravan Agrawal, the owner of the explosive warehouse in Badgaon, along with a driver. “We received credible information about an abandoned vehicle near a petrol pump. During the search, we recovered a significant quantity of explosives and made two arrests,” he added.
Khurania acknowledged lapses in adhering to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), particularly regarding communication about the movement of explosives. “In this instance, the transportation of explosives occurred without informing the authorities, which violated the SOP. All recovered explosives are now in safe custody,” he stated.
He emphasised that the incident has highlighted critical areas for improvement in security protocols. “We are now reviewing SOPs for the storage and transport of explosives, especially in Maoist-affected regions. Inspections of firms dealing with explosives have already begun across the state,” he said.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, the Odisha Police has ruled out recommending the reinstatement of Sundargarh under the Centre’s Security-Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme for Naxal-affected districts, as Sundargarh was removed from the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) list last year.
Highlighting the broader security landscape, the DGP noted a significant decline in Naxal activities in Odisha and expressed confidence in the police force’s ability to contribute to the Centre’s goal of making India Maoist-free by March 2026.
