S K Bhardwaj, IG (operations) said that the STF personnel seized a truckload of explosives on Thursday night from the residences of the two Maoists in Patna's Naya Tola area.

" Following a tip-off, the STF raided the two houses, seized a truckload of explosives and arrested two Maoists including Lalbabu Sahni alias Bhakarji, the secretary of the north Bihar unit of the banned CPI (Maoist)" Bhardwaj said.

The STF also seized a large quantity of Maoist literature, cassettes, CDs, police uniform, shoes, and other material from the Maoists.

The top brass of the state police suspect that the seized explosives were for major operations by Maoists in north Bihar, similar to the infamous Jehanabad jailbreak organised by Maoists on November 13 in 2005.

Bihar DGP AR Sinha told rediff.com that the explosives found at the residences of the two Maoists is a matter of serious concern.

"The police will have to probe into the motive for storing such a large quantity of explosives in Patna," Sinha said.

Police sources said that the two arrested Maoists are being interrogated by the STF and Bihar police officials for more information about the explosives seized and the activities of Maoists in and around Patna.