Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on the illegal transportation of explosives, police on Monday arrested three persons and seized 200 gelatin sticks and 100 detonators from the Tapang area under Sadar police station in Khordha district. Police suspect the explosives were meant for illegal mining activities in the district.
The accused have been identified as Pintu Pradhan of Ganjam district, and Rabi Narayan and Biswanath Khanra, both residents of the Industrial Police Station area in Khordha district.
Khordha SP Parmar Smit Parshottamdas said the arrests were made following specific intelligence inputs about the illegal transportation of explosives in the Tapang area. Acting on the tip-off, a police team launched an intelligence-based operation and intercepted the suspects.
“During the operation, we arrested three persons and recovered 200 gelatin sticks, 100 detonators, Rs 6.8 lakh in cash, two motorcycles, and a pickup van from their possession. Our preliminary investigation suggests that the seized cash was intended to purchase more gelatin sticks,” the SP said.
Police said the explosives were allegedly being procured for illegal blasting linked to unauthorised mining operations in and around Tapang, an area known for its stone quarries. Investigators are now trying to trace the source of the explosives and identify others involved in the supply chain.
Further investigation is underway to ascertain the extent of the network and determine whether more arrests are likely.
