In a significant achievement, the Special Task Force (STF) of the Crime Branch police on Wednesday arrested two inter-State gunrunners while they were striking a deal to sell illegal arms on the outskirts of Bhadrak town.
One of the arrestees, identified as Rabindra Prasad, is a resident of Munger of Bihar while the other, Biswanath Bisoi, is a resident of Srikrushnapur in Baleswar district.“Two persons have been arrested on charges of illegal possession of fire arms and magazines.
Seven 9-mm automatic pistols, 7 rounds of ammunition and magazines have been confiscated from them. The duo has been forwarded to court,” STF SP Prasant Bhoi said. The STF is planning to move court seeking remand of the accused to unearth more information about their racket and their links during interrogation.
Police launched an investigation to find out whether the arms were manufactured in Bihar or in Odisha. Involvement of others in the illegal gun trade is being investigated, police said.
The criminals used to smuggle the firearms from Bihar and provide them to criminals in Odisha. Earlier on April 9, the STF had arrested two smugglers from Niali in Cuttack district and seized eight illegal firearms, including two sophisticated guns from their possession.
A total of 22 firearms and 54 rounds of live ammunition have been seized and seven criminals arrested during crackdowns on arms smuggling racket in the past one year by the STF.