Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on illegal arms trafficking, police on Monday night arrested a notorious arms supplier in Rourkela and seized a large cache of weapons, including pistols, country-made firearms, and 35 swords.
The accused, identified as Sunil Majhi alias Rebe (41), was intercepted near Sankha Bridge at Gopapali following a tip-off that he was preparing to deliver weapons to clients.
A team from Brahmani Tarang police station rushed to the spot around 9:40 pm and caught Majhi after a brief chase when he attempted to flee towards Biramitrapur.
During a search conducted in the presence of witnesses, police recovered a country-made pistol loaded with three live rounds tucked into Majhi’s waistband. He was immediately taken into custody for questioning.
According to police, Majhi confessed that he had been sourcing firearms and ammunition from Jharkhand and supplying them to buyers across Rourkela and Sundargarh. He further revealed that additional weapons were hidden at his rented house in Chutiatola, Kuarmunda.
Following his disclosure, a police team raided the house and recovered a significant haul, including one country-made pistol, two single-shot country-made firearms, a wooden-grip revolver, and 35 swords wrapped in a plastic sack. All items were seized in the presence of witnesses as per legal procedure.
Briefing the media, Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani said the arrest marks a key breakthrough in the ongoing drive against illegal arms networks operating in the region.
“We are probing the Jharkhand link and trying to identify others involved in the supply chain,” he said.
Police have launched a further investigation to trace Majhi’s associates and customers and to determine the extent of the arms racket.
