Bhubaneswar: Commissionerate Police on Monday busted a firearms supply syndicate with the arrest of its six members including the kingpin Rashmi Ranjan Swain, informed police commissioner Sanjeeb Panda.
Talking to mediapersons, Panda said, “The gang members used to procure firearms from Bihar. Apart from buying and supplying illegal firearms, the notorious criminals were involved in many crimes sand lifting, cattle trading, illegal mining activity, extortion, vandalism.
The gang members have been identified as Rashmi Ranjan Swain, Utkal Keshari Khuntia, Krushna Chandra Jena, Chiranjibi Jena, Mohamad Samser and Sheikh Ajharuddin.
Police have seized five firearms including three 7.65 mm semi-automatic pistols, one six-round revolver and a single-shot firearm. Also, a total of nine rounds of live ammunition and two bikes have been seized from their possession.
“The gang was active in heinous crime in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur. As many as eight cases have been pending against Mohamad Samser. He was involved in the sensational murder of a drug dealer at Khurda in June. Khuntia was also accused in a sensational case held under the Marshagahi police jurisdiction. He was accused of kidnapping and killing a criminal before setting his body afire. He is still wanted. Also, five cases have been pending against each Rashmi Ranjan and Ajharuddin”, informed the Police Commissioner.
