Phulbani: In a major breakthrough, security personnel today recovered a large cache of explosives hidden underground in the Gumma forest of Kandhamal district.

Acting on intelligence inputs, Kandhamal SP Harisha B.C. directed a search operation in the Gumma forest under Kotgarh police limits. A unit of the District Voluntary Force (DVF), along with a bomb disposal squad, launched a combing operation in the area.

The bomb squad first sanitised the site to rule out the presence of booby traps or pressure bombs. Upon digging at a specific location, the team recovered 600 detonators and a remote-control device, police sources said.

Police suspect the explosives were intended for use by Maoists against security personnel engaged in anti-Naxal operations in the region.

Search operations are still underway in the surrounding areas to trace more hidden materials or suspect movements.