India, June 3 -- In a major breakthrough, Jharkhand and Odisha police, along with central security forces, have recovered 2.5 tonnes of explosives during a joint operation in the Saranda forest of West Singhbhum district, officials said on Tuesday.

The explosives were part of a cache looted by Maoists on May 27 from a stone quarry in Relahatu Yanko, located under Keblang police station in Odisha's Sundargarh district.

On May 30, an earlier operation had led to the recovery of 150 kg of the stolen explosives from the Tirilposhi area of the Saranda forest.

According to officials, around two tonnes of explosives still remain in Maoist possession, and an intensive search operation is going on.

The armed Maoist squad had earlier intercep...