Baripada: During search operations in fringe villages of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) on Sunday Mahuldiha police have busted an illegal country-made gun manufacturing unit and arrested one person in this connection.
Police have seized one country-made gun, four barrels used in the manufacture of guns, one welding machine and other equipment.
The accused has been identified as Jitu Lohar, a poacher. Lohar was allegedly manufacturing guns inside the sanctuary and supplying them to poachers.
“In an intelligence-based operation, we have nabbed one accused from a village. We found an illegal arms manufacturing unit at his house. We have seized one finished single barrel muzzle loading gun, four barrels, two barrel sockets, one welding machine and axe blades,” informed Mayurbhanj SP Battula Gangadhar addressing a presser here today.
The SP said that the police will be focusing on manufacturing units and de-weaponization of the area.
He further informed that on the basis of intelligence inputs, a raid was conducted leading to the seizure of pangolin scales from a person’s house. “The accused is absconding and we will soon catch him,” he added.
He said that following the shooting down of the Forester of STR police launched extensive search operations inside the STR.
Four teams are still conducting search operations in the fringe areas of the Tiger Reserve, he added.
