Phulbani: In a major crackdown, Tumudibandh police in Kandhamal district busted a large illegal explosives trafficking racket with links stretching from Berhampur in Odisha to Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. Police seized nearly 10 tons of explosive materials and arrested three persons in connection with the case.
Acting on a tip-off, a Tumudibandh police patrol team intercepted a pickup van at Rampur Chhak near Tumudibandh on Sunday night. On checking, they recovered 6.9 tons of gelatin sticks, 2.5 tons of Apex boosters, 4,000 detonators, 43 electric wires, 38 cordex, two batteries, Rs 2.80 lakh in cash, and Rs 1 lakh transferred online.
The van driver, Alok alias Albut Kumar Patra of Taladantalingi village in Ganjam, was arrested on the spot. During interrogation, he revealed that the consignment was being delivered to Shaktiranjana Das of Jaleshwar Mandirpada near Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi.
The explosives had been sourced from Hemant Sethi of Ambapua near Berhampur, who was illegally procuring stock from Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. All three accused were forwarded to court today.
Based on the leads, police raided Hemant’s godown at Jagannathpur village under Chamakhandi police limits near Berhampur, where the explosives had been stored before being transported to various districts. None of the accused could produce valid documents for the seized materials.
Baliguda SDPO Ramendra Prasad and Tumudibandh IIC Ashutosh Jena told reporters that the racket had been supplying explosives to stone quarries for nearly two years.
However, given the Maoist presence in Tumudibandh and Kotagarh areas along the Kandhamal-Kalahandi border, police have not ruled out the possibility that some consignments may have reached left-wing extremists.
A case has been registered at Tumudibandh police station, and further investigation is underway.
