STF busts underground gun factory in Bihar's Purnea, 4 arrested
Synopsis
A gun factory buried 20 feet underground and disguised as a leaf-plate workshop was dismantled in Bihar's Purnea by joint STF teams from Kolkata and Patna. Four arrested; the alleged mastermind from Munger — long a hub for illegal arms — remains at large. The operation, six months in planning, points to a sophisticated inter-district firearms supply network.
Key Takeaways
A joint STF operation by Kolkata and Patna busted an underground gun factory in Haripur village, Purnea, Bihar on 18 May 2025 .
The unit was located nearly 20 feet underground and disguised as a patri (leaf plate) workshop to avoid detection.
Police seized 10 semi-finished pistols , 14 iron plates , a lathe machine, a cutter machine, and related equipment.
Four persons — Md Aftab Alam , Md Anwar , Mitthu Kumar , and Gabbar Mandal — were arrested from the spot.
Alleged mastermind Suraj Kumar of Munger is suspected of running the supply network across multiple districts and remains under investigation.
The operation was reportedly planned over six months ; the factory had been active for approximately two months .
A clandestine firearm manufacturing unit operating nearly 20 feet underground was dismantled in Bihar's Purnea district on Monday, 18 May, following a joint operation by the Special Task Forces (STF) of Kolkata and Patna. Four persons were arrested on the spot, and police have named a fifth individual as the alleged mastermind.
How the Operation Unfolded
The raid targeted Ward No. 1 of Haripur village under the Dhamdaha police station area, acting on specific intelligence inputs. Senior officers including Dhamdaha range Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sandeep Goldy and Station House Officer Ravishankar Kumar supervised the operation. According to officials, the joint STF operation had been planned over the preceding six months.
The underground unit had allegedly been active for nearly two months before it was detected. To avoid suspicion, it was disguised as a workshop manufacturing patris (leaf plates), leading local residents to believe it was a legitimate small-scale business.
What Police Seized
During the raid, investigators recovered 10 semi-finished pistols, 14 iron plates, a lathe machine, a cutter machine, and other equipment allegedly used in the illegal manufacturing process. SDPO Sandeep Goldy confirmed the seizures, stating: 'All four accused were apprehended from the spot, and a substantial quantity of materials used in firearm manufacturing was seized.'
The Accused and the Alleged Network
The four persons arrested were identified as Md Aftab Alam and Md Anwar, both residents of Munger, along with local residents Mitthu Kumar and Gabbar Mandal of Haripur village. Investigators noted that Mitthu Kumar had recently returned to the village after working in another state.
Police have identified Suraj Kumar, a resident of Munger, as the alleged mastermind behind the racket. He is suspected of supervising operations and arranging the supply of illegally manufactured firearms to different districts. Haripur village was reportedly being used as an assembly point for pistols, with the network allegedly extending beyond Purnea district.
Wider Significance
Notably, Munger — from which two of the accused hail and where the alleged mastermind is based — has long been associated with illegal arms manufacturing in Bihar. This operation adds to a pattern of STF-led crackdowns on inter-district firearms networks in the state. The fact that the unit was buried 20 feet underground and camouflaged as a legitimate enterprise signals a growing sophistication in illegal arms operations in the region.
Police have launched a detailed investigation and are probing the wider network linked to the operation. Officials indicated that more arrests are possible as the probe progresses.
Point of View
With Munger at its centre. What stands out here is the operational sophistication: a 20-foot underground facility, a cover business, and an inter-district supply chain suggest this is no cottage operation. The six-month intelligence build-up by two state STFs also raises a pointed question: how many similar units exist that have not yet been found? Bihar's law enforcement deserves credit for the coordination, but the fact that the alleged mastermind remains at large means the network is intact until proven otherwise.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the illegal gun factory busted in Bihar?
The factory was discovered in Ward No. 1 of Haripur village under the Dhamdaha police station area in Purnea district, Bihar. It was located nearly 20 feet underground and had been camouflaged as a patri (leaf plate) manufacturing workshop.
Who was arrested in the Purnea gun factory raid?
Four persons were arrested: Md Aftab Alam and Md Anwar, both from Munger, and local residents Mitthu Kumar and Gabbar Mandal of Haripur village. Police have separately named Suraj Kumar of Munger as the alleged mastermind, who is currently under investigation.
What was recovered during the STF raid in Purnea?
Police seized 10 semi-finished pistols, 14 iron plates, a lathe machine, a cutter machine, and other equipment used in illegal firearm manufacturing. SDPO Sandeep Goldy confirmed that a substantial quantity of manufacturing materials was recovered from the spot.
Which agencies conducted the Purnea gun factory raid?
The operation was a joint effort by the Special Task Forces (STF) of Kolkata and Patna, supported by local Dhamdaha police. Senior officers including SDPO Sandeep Goldy and SHO Ravishankar Kumar were present during the raid.
How long had the illegal gun factory been operating?
According to investigators, the factory had been active for approximately two months before it was raided. The intelligence-gathering operation that led to the bust had reportedly been underway for six months prior to the raid.
