Bhubaneswar: In a significant operation against illegal arms trade, Daspalla Police on Tuesday dismantled a country-made arms manufacturing unit operating inside a reserve forest near Dwaragaon village in Nayagarh district.
Four persons have been arrested in connection with the racket.
The accused have been identified as Rajesh Kumar Pradhan (27), Bibhuti Parida (27), Tapan Parida (25), and Gobardhana Parida (48), all residents of Nayagarh.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by Sub-Inspector JCB Dalei of Daspalla Police Station conducted a raid in the presence of official witnesses. The team seized a country-made double-barrel pistol (DBBL) and a single-barrel muzzle-loading (SBML) gun from the site.
Further searches led to the discovery of a makeshift arms manufacturing unit deep inside the reserve forest, allegedly used by the accused to fabricate and sell illegal firearms.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the firearms were being sold to local buyers for monetary gain. Police suspect the weapons may have been used in acts of intimidation and dacoity.
Meanwhile, all four accused have a history of involvement in illegal arms trade.
An investigation is ongoing to trace the network’s reach and identify other potential buyers and associates.
