Moving ahead in Sirsa’s illegal arms recovery case, Haryana Police on Monday claimed to have busted an illegal arms manufacturing unit in Uttar Pradesh and recovered a large quantity of equipment used in making illegal weapons.

A Haryana Police spokesperson informed that the crackdown was made by a CIA team at the behest of kingpin Istaq Ahmed, a resident of Bazar Mohalla, Baheri, district Bareilly in UP, who was arrested in connection with recovery of huge illegal arms in Sirsa. The illegal unit was busted by police during a raid at Beheri area in UP.

As many as 19 butts of illegal pistols, 10 barrels, 19 springs, 20 screws, 3 triggers, one unfinished pistol and other items were recovered from the unit. Two other accused have been identified during interrogation who will be arrested soon. So far, four accused including the kingpin have been arrested in this case with the recovery of 22 illegal pistols, 72 live and empty cartridges.

On December 19, a police team on secret information had nabbed Dara Singh and Amarjeet Singh after the recovery of a huge cache of weapons in Sirsa.

 During their remand period, police arrested Avtar Singh alias Ladi, a resident of Punjab, alongwith five illegal pistols from a hotel in Hisar. Later on, kingpin of the network Istaq Ahmed, was apprehended from Bareilly in UP.

The probe revealed that Istaq Ahmad is a person of criminal nature and has already been arrested in an illegal arms case. UP police has booked him after busting an illegal weapons manufacturing unit in 2019. In addition, he was on the radar of the Uttar Pradesh STF team.