Berhampur: Police have recovered as many as 6,000 powerful detonators from a private passenger bus plying between Jeypore and Berhampur via Srikalulam in Andhra Pradesh.
Five persons were arrested, including four bus staff - three of them from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh - were arrested for illegally transporting the explosives, said Superintendent of Police (Berhampur) Prateek Mohanty today.
The security personnel located the bus transporting explosives last night.
The arrested were identified as A. Rama Rao, the driver of the bus, S. Krushna Murthy, R.G Rao (all vehicle employees hailing from Srikakulam district) and Bikash Bisoi of Pujariput in Koraput district, another employee of the bus.
The recipient of the explosives was identified as Pintu Sethi of Ankuli, at the outskirt of the town, police said.
?We were earlier informed about illegal transportation of the explosives from Srikakulam to Berhampur via passenger buses," the SP said.
During interrogation, Sethi said the detonators were procured from Srikakulam to supply to the stone-quarry units in the district, Inspector-in-charge, B N Pur, Deepak Mishra said.
?We are however inquiring about the sources of the supply of the explosive and exact purpose of transportation of these?, he said.
Police denied that the explosives transported from Andhra Pradesh to Berhampur were meant to be supplied to the outlawed Maoists.