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Time of India
08-07-2025
- Time of India
NIA gets 6-day custody of key ‘conspirator' in explosives loot
Bhubaneswar: National Investigation Agency (NIA) was on Tuesday granted six-day police remand of George Munda, key 'conspirator' in the recent loot of industrial explosives from a stone quarry by Maoists in Sundargarh district. Considering the gravity of the offence, the NIA recently took over investigation from K Balang police. On June 15, Rourkela police had arrested Maoist informer Munda (43) for allegedly collaborating with the rebels from Jharkhand in the looting of about 5,000kg of gelatin sticks from the quarry on May 27. About 3,800kg of explosives were subsequently recovered. "NIA will interrogate Munda in their custody to establish the 'forward and backward' linkages related to the offence having multi-state ramification. Munda had several meetings with Maoist leader Anmol alias Lalchand Hembram before the explosives theft," a police source said. The source added, "Given the Centre's target to wipe out Maoists from the country by March 2026, NIA's involvement in the investigation is essential to unravel a potential bigger anti-national crime plan of Maoists."
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Time of India
NIA to probe loot of explosives by Maoists from J'khand-Odisha border
Bhubaneswar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to take over from Odisha police the investigation into the loot of 5000kg industrial explosives by Maoists from a stone quarry in Sundargarh district, bordering Jharkhand on May 27. Rourkela police have 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. Around 3,800 kg of explosives have been recovered. "Considering the gravity of the offence, NIA has obtained an order from a designated court in Bhubaneswar to suo motu take over the probe from the state police. They will officially take over the case files in a day or two. NIA was assisting police in the investigation. An NIA team had visited the crime scene at the stone quarry in Banko on May 28," a senior police officer told TOI. NIA plans to interrogate Munda in their custody to establish 'forward and backward' linkages related to the offence having multi-state ramification. Munda had several meetings with Maoist leader Anmol, alias Lalchand Hembram, before the theft. His arrest raised concerns for security agencies, as Sundargarh had been declared Maoist-free by the Centre in April 2024. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo The police officer added, "Given the Centre's target to wipe out Maoism from the country by March 2026, NIA's involvement in the case is essential to unravel a potential bigger anti-national crime plan of the rebels." It is the first case undertaken by NIA's Odisha branch following the establishment of its police station in Bhubaneswar last month, police said.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Time of India
NIA to take over probe into explosives loot
Bhubaneswar: National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to take over the investigation from Odisha police into the loot of industrial explosives by Maoists from a stone quarry in Sundargarh district. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "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."
New Indian Express
16-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Conspirator in loot of explosives by Maoists held in Odisha
ROURKELA: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Rourkela police on Sunday claimed to have made a significant breakthrough in the loot of explosives by Maoists by arresting the main conspirator identified as George Munda alias Kullu (43). Police said Munda of Banko village in K Balang area had set up links with the Maoists for his own personal interest and facilitated the loot of the explosives-laden truck by providing detailed information about the stone quarry near which the crime took place. DIG (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai said during investigation, the SIT questioned several villagers and the name of Munda emerged as the leading conspirator. Munda was grilled and he confessed to the crime. For his own selfish interest, the accused collaborated with the Maoists and assisted in the crime by providing minute details of the status and operational procedures of the Banko stone quarry. Police sources said Munda was staying opposite to the stone quarry at Banko village. He was reportedly extracting stones illegally from the quarry prior to its legal allotment to a leaseholder. Later, he started objecting to the operation of the quarry and through some of his acquaintances in Jharkhand, contacted Maoist leader Anmol Hembram alias Samarjee.
Hans India
16-06-2025
- Hans India
Prime accused held in explosives loot case
Rourkel: Odisha police on Sunday arrested the prime accused and mastermind behind the loot of five tonnes of explosives by Maoists from a vehicle near a stone quarry in Sundargarh district on May 27, an official said. The arrested accused has been identified as George Munda alias Kulu (43) from Banko village under K Balang police station. Munda was passing 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, Munda's complicity was found by the police. He was living just opposite the quarry and was objecting to it, which was closed down subsequently, Rai 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. Around 200 packets of explosives, mostly gelatin sticks, were looted by Maoists at gun-point on May 27 while those were being transported to a stone quarry for blasting rocks. A day after the looting, Odisha DGP Y B Khurania and other senior police officers visited the spot and an NIA team also started investigation into the matter. Odisha police also constituted an SIT (Special Investigation Team) to probe the incident. Security personnel on May 30 recovered a substantial amount of the explosives looted by Maoists in Sundargarh district following a fierce gun-battle with the red rebels. They found the stolen explosives in a dense forest in Jharkhand, around 3 km from the Odisha border. So far, 3.8 tonnes of explosives have been recovered while search is still going on to recover the remaining explosives. The State police, with assistance from CRPF, CoBRA, Jharkhand's Jaguar and Odisha's SOG and District Voluntary Force (DVF), had launched the search operation in the nearby forests on the night of May 27. The DGP admitted that the SOP meant for carrying explosives was not adhered to when the incident took place.
