Odisha: Four Maoists arrested with huge cache of explosives in Malkangiri

Four Maoist rebels were arrested by the police in Malkangiri District of Odisha and a huge cache of explosives was seized from them on Monday.

The four men were arrested during a combing operation by a joint team of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

All the four rebels had bounty on their heads.

Superintendent of Police (SP), Malkangiri, Mitrabhanu Mohapatra, said that the police was in the process of confirming the involvement of the four men in various crimes.

"From their possession 100 kilo of gelatin sticks have been recovered. We are verifying their involvements and necessary legal action will be taken against them," said Mohapatra.

The Maoists or rebels, also known as Naxals in India, are inspired by the political philosophy of China's late Chairman Mao Zedong. They say they are fighting for the rights of poor farmers and landless labourers and want to overthrow the government.

They have killed police personnel and politicians and targeted government buildings and railway tracks in insurgent acts, killing thousands since the 1960s.

Maoists are mostly active in what has come to be known as the "red corridor" from Andhra Pradesh in the south to West Bengal in the east. But they do have some sort of presence in 21 out of 28 states in India.