Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch arrested the mastermind in connection with the illegal gun factory at Bayalis Mouza in Cuttack on Saturday.
The mastermind has been identified as Chagala Khuntia, a resident of Sankarpur.
Khuntia was also the mastermind of the Badambadi murder case, police revealed. After he was put behind the bar, the accused had formed a nexus with other inmates in jail and had run a racket of smuggling guns.
The accused, a hardcore criminal, used to source guns from Cuttack and supply them to various districts, cities, and states. He had taken a contract to supply guns to other criminals and had become a key player in the illegal gun trade.
Earlier, the STF had received a tip-off about the illegal gun factory and had raided the premises, seizing over 30 guns and arresting four persons. Further investigation is underway to uncover the extent of the illegal gun trade and to identify other accused involved in the case.
