NIA arrests two in Jharkhand for illegal storage of 1,662 detonators
Synopsis
NIA teams seized over 1,600 illegal detonators and arrested two men in Jharkhand's Koderma district, cracking open what investigators describe as a clandestine explosives supply chain tied to a 2024 motorcycle blast that killed one accused. On the same day, a Visakhapatnam court handed five-year jail terms to three CPI (Maoist) members — a twin strike by the agency against extremist networks in a single day.
Key Takeaways
The NIA arrested Mahesh Mehta and Shankar Yadav on 23 July during searches at four locations in Koderma district, Jharkhand .
1,662 non-electric detonators , five digital devices, and ₹16 lakh in cash were seized.
The case ( RC-16/2024/NIA/DLI ) stems from a 2024 motorcycle blast in the Saltora area that killed accused Joydeb Mondal .
Three other accused were already arrested and chargesheeted before Thursday's action, bringing the total to five.
Separately, an NIA Special Court in Visakhapatnam sentenced Dongari Devendra , Dubashi Swapna , and Chukka Shilpa to five years RI each under the UAPA for supporting CPI (Maoist) .
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday, 23 July arrested two men — Mahesh Mehta and Shankar Yadav — following searches at four locations in Koderma district, Jharkhand, linked to a 2024 motorcycle blast in the Saltora area. The operation resulted in the seizure of 1,662 illegally hoarded non-electric detonators, five digital devices, and ₹16 lakh in cash.
What the Searches Uncovered
NIA teams conducting the Koderma searches found the two accused actively involved in a criminal conspiracy centred on the unlawful storage of explosives and their transportation to co-accused individuals, endangering life and property, according to an official NIA statement. The agency described a clandestine network responsible for storing and moving the explosives — procured without a valid licence — and flagged dangerous and improper handling practices.
Background: The 2024 Motorcycle Blast Case
The case is registered as RC-16/2024/NIA/DLI, taken up by the NIA in October 2024. It traces back to an explosion that killed one accused, identified as Joydeb Mondal, also known as Bablu Mondal, during what investigators believe was an illegal transportation run. Three other accused had already been arrested and chargesheeted in the matter before Thursday's action. The fresh arrests of Mehta and Yadav bring the total number of accused in custody to five.
Separate Conviction in Maoist Terror Case
In a separate development on the same day, an NIA Special Court in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh convicted and sentenced three individuals in a terror conspiracy case linked to the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation. The convicted accused — Dongari Devendra, Dubashi Swapna, and Chukka Shilpa — were members of Chaitanya Mahila Sangam (CMS), an outfit affiliated with CPI (Maoist), and were arrested in June 2022.
The court sentenced each to Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) of five years under Sections 18, 18B, 20, 38, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in case RC-02/2022/NIA/HYD. Their roles included radicalisation, recruitment, and material support for the banned organisation.
Investigation Ongoing
The NIA has stated it is continuing its investigation into the Jharkhand explosives network to establish the source of the detonators and their intended destination. The scale of the seizure — over 1,600 detonators at a single set of locations — points to a supply chain that investigators believe extends beyond the five accused already in custody. Thursday's dual developments underscore the agency's simultaneous pressure on both left-wing extremist networks and illicit explosives pipelines.
Point of View
600 detonators in a single district sweep signals that the NIA's Jharkhand investigation has moved well beyond the original motorcycle blast — it has hit what looks like a structured supply chain. The death of one accused during transportation, and the scale of the cache found, raise an urgent question the agency has yet to answer publicly: who was the intended recipient? The same-day Visakhapatnam conviction adds context — the NIA is simultaneously tightening the net on both illicit explosives networks and left-wing extremist support structures, suggesting coordinated operational pressure rather than isolated actions.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the NIA arrest Mahesh Mehta and Shankar Yadav in Jharkhand?
The NIA arrested Mahesh Mehta and Shankar Yadav on 23 July for their alleged role in the unlawful storage and transportation of explosives in Koderma district, Jharkhand. The arrests are linked to case RC-16/2024/NIA/DLI, which originated from a 2024 motorcycle blast in the Saltora area.
What was seized during the NIA searches in Koderma?
NIA teams seized 1,662 illegally hoarded non-electric detonators, five digital devices, and ₹16 lakh in cash during searches at four locations in Koderma district on 23 July.
What is the connection to the 2024 motorcycle blast?
The case stems from an explosion in the Saltora area in which one accused, Joydeb Mondal (also known as Bablu Mondal), died during the alleged illegal transportation of explosives. The NIA registered the case in October 2024 and has since uncovered a wider conspiracy involving storage, transport, and procurement of explosives without a valid licence.
Who were convicted in the separate NIA Maoist case?
Dongari Devendra, Dubashi Swapna, and Chukka Shilpa — members of Chaitanya Mahila Sangam, an outfit linked to the banned CPI (Maoist) — were each sentenced to five years Rigorous Imprisonment by an NIA Special Court in Visakhapatnam. They were convicted under Sections 18, 18B, 20, 38, and 39 of the UAPA.
How many accused have now been arrested in the Jharkhand explosives case?
With the arrests of Mahesh Mehta and Shankar Yadav, five accused have been taken into custody in the case. Three others were arrested and chargesheeted before Thursday's action. The NIA says its investigation to trace the source and intended destination of the explosives is continuing.
