8 held for supplying explosive materials to Maoists

Malkangiri: At least eight employees of a Hyderabad-based private construction company were arrested after a huge cache of explosive materials were seized in Odisha's Malkangiri district on Friday, police said.

The materials contained in 12 bags were being carried from Hyderabad to the Maoist-hit district when security personnel intercepted them at a place near Potrel village under Orkel police station.

The employees who apparently had prior information threw the bags into forests behind a stone crusher unit owned by the company, Superintendent of Police, Malkangiri, Akhilesh Singh said.

The bags contained electronic detonators, gelatine sticks, IED and materials for making landmines, claymore mines and bombs, besides mobile phones, he said.

"All the materials were seized and the employees were being interrogated to ascertain its source and to whom they were being sent," the SP said.

The arrested included a senior official of the company, he said.

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