NIA to take over probe into explosives loot
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"Considering the gravity of the offence, the NIA has obtained an order from its designated court in Bhubaneswar to suo motu take over the probe from K Balang police under Rourkela police district. They will officially take over the case files in a day or two," a senior police officer told TOI.
The police officer said, "The central counter-terrorism probe agency was assisting K Balang police in the investigation. An NIA team had visited the crime scene at the stone quarry in Banko on May 28, a day after the loot took place."
This marks the first case undertaken by the NIA's Odisha branch following the establishment of its police station in Bhubaneswar last month, police sources said.
On Sunday, Rourkela police arrested Maoist informer George Munda (43), a local, for allegedly collaborating with Maoists from Jharkhand in the theft of 5,000 kg of gelatin sticks on May 27. Around 3,800 kg of explosives have been recovered.
NIA intends to interrogate Munda in their custody to establish 'forward and backward' linkages related to the offence having multi-state ramification.
Police sources revealed that Munda had several meetings with Maoist leader Anmol alias Lalchand Hembram before the explosives theft. His arrest raised concerns for security agencies, as Sundargarh had been declared Maoist-free by the ministry of home affairs in April 2024.
The police officer added, "Given the Centre's target to wipe out Maoists from the country by March 2026, the NIA's involvement in the case investigation is essential to unravel a potential bigger anti-national crime plan of the rebels."
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