BHUBANESWAR: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday launched an investigation into Tuesday’s hijacking of explosive materials by Maoist insurgents from a stone quarry in Odisha’s Sundargarh district, bordering Jharkhand, Odisha Police sources said. The brazen loot of 4 tonnes of gelatin sticks in Rourkela’s K Balang police jurisdictions raised serious security concerns.“This is a matter of grave concern as these explosives could be potentially used for anti-national activities. NIA has stepped in and started their probe. We are working closely with the NIA and Jharkhand police to track and recover the stolen materials,” a senior police officer told TOI.Security experts warn that the quantity of stolen explosives poses a significant threat. “Four tonnes of gelatin sticks in the wrong hands could cause devastating damage,” S K Sahoo, a retired cop said.According to sources, the NIA has formed special teams to track the movement of Maoist groups in the region and recover the stolen explosives.A high-level meeting was conducted between NIA officials and senior police officers from Odisha and Jharkhand to coordinate the investigation and develop strategic responses. DGP Y B Khurania, who chaired the meeting, has been camping in Sundargarh since Wednesday.Around 10 am on Tuesday, about 25-30 armed Naxals stormed the quarry under K Balang police limits in Rourkela, near Saranda forests neighbouring Maoist-infested Jharkhand, holding two labourers and a manager at gunpoint after the explosives-laden lorry arrived. The armed group compelled the driver to operate the vehicle under duress. They released him at Relhatu area under K Balang police station around 5 pm. “We have intensified patrolling in the area and set up checkpoints at key locations,” DIG (western range) Brijesh Rai said.The brazen incident marked a significant Maoist operation after an extended period of reduced LWE activity in Odisha, triggering apprehension of a disruption of the Centre’s objective to establish a ‘Maoist free’ India by March 2026.The daylight theft of 4-tonnes of gelatin sticks has raised concerns as Sundargarh had been declared Naxal-free in April 2024. DIG Rai mentioned that Sundargarh, free from Maoist activities and violence for over ten years, was removed from the left-wing extremism (LWE) affected areas list and the Centre’s security-related expenditure (SRE) scheme last year.