Odisha police arrests mastermind in explosive loot case

Rourkela: Odisha police Sunday arrested the prime accused and mastermind behind the loot of five tonne of explosives by Maoists from a vehicle near a store quarry in Sundargarh district May 27, an official said.

The arrested accused has been identified as George Munda alias Kulu (43) from Banko village under K Balang police limits.

Munda was passing important information to the Maoists. He was the main conspirator from the beginning of the loot and actively passed information to the Maoists, said DIG (Western Range) Brijesh Rai.

During the investigation, George’s complicity was found by the police. He was living just opposite to the quarry and was objecting to it, which was closed down subsequently, Rai said.

“He was very vocal against the quarry and he then took the issue to the Maoists. He met the Maoists multiple times and passed vital intelligence regarding the movement of explosive trucks,” the DIG said.

It was he who had passed the information regarding the movement of the vehicle with explosives and ensured that the loot was carried out without any problem, the police said.

On May 27, a group of armed Maoists intercepted the explosives van en route to Banko quarry from Itma and decamped with 200 packets of explosives.

The state police took the issue seriously and DGP Y B Khurania flew to Rourkela and held meetings with senior officials.

So far, 3.8 tonne of explosives have been recovered while search is still going on to recover the remaining explosives, they said.

PTI

News