A retired college principal and his son were detained for suspected links with Maoists and huge quantities of explosives were seized in two operations.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided a house at Chauldhipa in Rengali area of Sambalpur district on Monday and seized 297 pieces of gelatin sticks, 37 kg power gel and another high explosive weighing 25 kg, Sambalpur Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar said on Tuesday.

The team also seized 34 detonators, 500 metres of fuse wire and 250 metre detonator charging wire during the raid, Kumar told reporters adding those explosives could be meant for Maoists.

Two persons, a retired principal of Rengali College and his son, have been detained for interrogation. A case was registered under the Explosives Acts, he said.

In a similar seizure in Malkangiri, two claymore mines, two landmines, a tracer mine, some fuse wire and a pistol were seized from Motu area during a joint combing operation by Special Operation Group and Central Reserve Police Force, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police S K Gajviye said.

The explosive materials were buried near a bridge, he said.