Khargone Police bust illegal arms factory on Rupa river bank, 5 arrested
Synopsis
Khargone Police cracked open a live arms manufacturing unit on the Rupa river bank in Signoor village, catching five people in the act with nine pistols, two kattas, and a full production line — grinding machines, furnaces, moulds and all. Some of the accused already had Arms Act cases against them, suggesting a recurring network that police are now racing to unravel.
Key Takeaways
Khargone Police raided an illegal arms factory in Signoor village on 28 May , arresting five individuals red-handed.
Seized items include nine country-made pistols , two kattas , two unfinished pistols , 11 barrels , and full manufacturing equipment — total value approximately ₹2.75 lakh .
All five accused — Vikas Singh Sikligar , Kanha Sikligar , Suraj Singh Sikligar , Gurubadal Singh Sikligar , and Roshan Singh — are residents of Signoor village.
Some accused had prior Arms Act cases registered against them.
A case has been filed under Section 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act ; police are probing the supply network and possible links to other criminal elements.
Khargone Police on Friday, 28 May dismantled an illegal arms manufacturing unit operating on the bank of the Rupa river in Signoor village, arresting five individuals in the act. The raid, conducted as part of a special district-wide crackdown on illegal weapon manufacturing and trafficking, led to the seizure of arms, ammunition components, and manufacturing equipment valued at approximately ₹2.75 lakh, according to Superintendent of Police Ravindra Verma.
How the Raid Unfolded
Acting on a credible tip-off, a joint team drawn from Gogawan and Sanawad police stations carried out the evening operation. The raid was conducted under the directives of Inspector General Anurag (Indore Rural) and Deputy Inspector General Siddharth Bahuguna (Nimar Range), with Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Shakuntala Ruhal supervising the ground operation.
Arms and Equipment Seized
Officers recovered nine country-made pistols and two country-made guns (kattas) from the site. Also seized were two unfinished pistols, 11 barrels, two magazines, four unfinished magazines, three grinding machines, moulds for pistols and magazines, a furnace blower, hammers, tongs, and screwdrivers. The array of equipment points to a fully operational production setup rather than a storage or transit point.
The Five Accused
The arrested individuals have been identified as Vikas Singh Sikligar (19), Kanha Sikligar (30), Suraj Singh Sikligar (40), Gurubadal Singh Sikligar (22), and Roshan Singh (19) — all residents of Signoor village. Preliminary investigations indicate that some of the accused already had prior cases registered against them under the Arms Act. A case has been filed under Section 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act.
Investigation and What Comes Next
'The campaign to curb illegal arms manufacturing in Khargone is yielding strong results. We are now interrogating the arrested individuals to trace the supply network and identify other members of the racket,' a senior police official said. Investigators are working to establish where the weapons were being supplied and whether the operation has links to broader criminal networks. This is the latest in a series of enforcement actions under the district's ongoing special campaign against illicit firearms.
Point of View
A furnace blower, grinding machines, and unfinished pistols signals an organised production line, not a backyard experiment. That some of the accused already carried Arms Act histories raises a harder question: how long was this unit operational, and why did it take a tip-off rather than routine surveillance to expose it? Madhya Pradesh has seen repeated illegal arms busts in the Nimar belt, suggesting a persistent supply ecosystem. The real test of this operation is whether interrogation maps the distribution chain upstream, or whether the arrests remain terminal at the factory floor.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the illegal arms factory busted in Khargone?
The factory was located on the bank of the Rupa river in Signoor village, Khargone district, Madhya Pradesh. Police from Gogawan and Sanawad stations jointly conducted the raid on the evening of 28 May.
What was seized in the Khargone arms factory raid?
Police seized nine country-made pistols, two country-made guns (kattas), two unfinished pistols, 11 barrels, six magazines (two complete, four unfinished), three grinding machines, moulds, a furnace blower, and hand tools. The total value of seized items is approximately ₹2.75 lakh.
Who were the five people arrested in the Signoor village raid?
The five arrested are Vikas Singh Sikligar (19), Kanha Sikligar (30), Suraj Singh Sikligar (40), Gurubadal Singh Sikligar (22), and Roshan Singh (19), all residents of Signoor village. Some of them already had prior cases under the Arms Act.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
A case has been registered against all five accused under Section 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act. Further investigation is ongoing to trace the supply network and uncover links to other criminal elements.
Which senior officers oversaw the Khargone arms raid?
The operation was carried out under the directives of Inspector General Anurag (Indore Rural) and Deputy Inspector General Siddharth Bahuguna (Nimar Range). Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Shakuntala Ruhal supervised the raid on the ground.
