Did Madhya Pradesh Police Just Uncover an Illegal Weapons Factory in Bhind?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Police seized 12 country-made pistols during the raid.
- A local gang was operating a structured illegal weapons factory.
- Expert gunsmiths were hired from Uttar Pradesh for weapon production.
- The operation revealed the existence of a wider illegal arms market.
- Authorities are pursuing additional suspects linked to the operation.
Bhopal, Oct 24 (NationPress) The police have reported the dismantling of an illicit country-made weapons factory located in a rented farmhouse in a secluded village of Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind district, an official confirmed on Friday.
Following a successful operation, Bhind Superintendent of Police (SP) Asit Yadav addressed the media, revealing that authorities seized 12 country-made pistols, three live cartridges, and a substantial stock of weapon-manufacturing materials during the raid.
According to Yadav, a local gang was operating a fully functional gun factory, employing skilled workers from Uttar Pradesh for a monthly salary of Rs 50,000. The illegal operation was situated in a farmhouse in Rupawai, where police discovered four individuals assembling pistols.
“The gang had leased the farmhouse for Rs 20,000 each month, and two expert gunsmiths from Mainpuri district in Uttar Pradesh were hired to manufacture the weapons. This was not merely a petty crime; it was a systematic industrial operation,” Yadav stated.
He further explained that the gang had established a structured business model, complete with monthly wages and production quotas.
The operation commenced after Barohi police station in-charge Atul Bhadoria received a tip-off on October 21 about an individual waiting near the Amalhari village crossroads to sell illegal firearms.
Responding quickly, police apprehended the suspect on-site, seizing one 32-bore pistol, three 315-bore pistols, and three live cartridges.
During interrogation, the suspect disclosed the location of the clandestine arms workshop. Acting promptly, police executed a raid, recovering 12 pistols along with raw materials used in their production.
The apprehended individuals confessed that the materials for the weapons were procured from Etawah, Mainpuri, and Etah districts of Uttar Pradesh. They had been operational since September 19 and had already manufactured 22 pistols, with at least seven sold in the illegal arms market.
“We have also detained three buyers of these weapons, while others are being tracked down. The principal gunsmith working at the farmhouse is a notorious criminal who remains at large. A reward of Rs 10,000 has been announced for information leading to his capture,” Yadav concluded.