Sundargarh: In a brazen act of insurgency, a group of 30 to 40 Maoists looted nearly four tonnes of explosives in broad daylight from a vehicle transporting the materials to a stone quarry in Sundargarh district. The incident occurred in the Langalkata area under K. Balang police limits.
According to reports, the explosives were being transported from an ammunition warehouse near Itma, under Badagaon police limits, to the Langalkata stone quarry when the Maoists intercepted the consignment at gunpoint. They abducted the vehicle’s driver during the robbery, though he was later released unharmed.
Security personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) swiftly cordoned off the area and launched combing operations, which were suspended after nightfall due to safety concerns. The Maoist attack is believed to have been carried out by cadres of the Chhotanagpur Division.
This isn’t the first time such an incident has occurred in the area. A similar heist was reported seven years ago, when Maoists looted explosives from the same location. Police had later managed to recover the stolen materials.
In light of the latest incident, police and paramilitary forces are on high alert, and further combing operations are expected to resume at first light. Investigations are underway to trace the movement of the Maoist group and recover the stolen explosives.
