Anugola: Two persons were arrested during a joint raid conducted by the Jarapada Police and the Forest Department in Anugola district on Monday for allegedly manufacturing country-made firearms and illegally processing timber.
The accused, identified as Abhaya Naik and Malaya Naik of Durgapur village under the Jarapada police limits, were apprehended following a search operation launched on the basis of specific intelligence inputs regarding illegal firearm manufacturing and the unauthorised storage of timber.
During the raid, the joint team recovered two gun barrels, two gajabadis, a partially finished gun frame made of Ankula wood, 20 grams of gunpowder (potas), 23 lead pellets, and several carpentry tools allegedly used in the fabrication of country-made firearms.
The investigation also revealed that the duo was allegedly engaged in the illegal processing of timber and the manufacture of wooden furniture without the required permission. Forest officials seized 14 teak planks and timber pieces measuring 0.0880 cubic metres (3.10 cubic feet), 12 sal timber pieces measuring 0.0691 cubic metres (2.44 cubic feet), an old tree-cutting machine, two electric saws, two jigsaw cutting machines, and a wood sanding machine.
A forest offence case, OR Case No. 10J of 2026–27, has been registered at the Jarapada Forest Range under the relevant provisions of the forest laws. The accused are also being investigated for offences related to the illegal manufacture of firearms.
The Forest Department said coordinated enforcement drives with the police would continue to curb illegal firearm manufacturing and offences involving forest resources in the region. Further investigation is underway.
