India, May 29 -- The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun a probe into the theft of around 1.5 tonnes of explosives from a stone quarry in Odisha's Sundargarh district on May 27.

A three-member team of the NIA today reached Sundargarh and began a probe into the case.

The Odisha Police had earlier confirmed that Maoists from neighbouring Jharkhand were involved in the hijacking of an explosive laden truck from the stone quarry in K Balang area in Sundargarh on May 27 (Tuesday).

According to police, around 30 armed Maoists from Jharkhand reached the stone quarry at around 10 am on May 27 and hijacked the gelatin sticks laden truck by holding the employees as well as the driver of the vehicle at gunpoint.

It is suspected that M...