Bhubaneswar, Nov 13: The Commissionerate Police’s Special Crime Unit has arrested a man and seized two semi-automatic firearms, eight rounds of live ammunition and an SUV during a crackdown on suspected illegal arms smuggling on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
The arrested accused has been identified as Biswajit Behera, alias Kalia, a resident of Noda village under Gobindpur police station limits in Cuttack district. The arrest was made following specific intelligence inputs about the suspected transportation of firearms to the Balipatna area.
Acting on the information, a team of the Special Crime Unit intercepted the SUV and apprehended Behera. During the search, police recovered two semi-automatic firearms, eight rounds of live ammunition, two mobile phones and Rs 510 in cash from his possession. The vehicle was also seized as part of the investigation.
According to Anup Kumar Kanungo, DCP of the Special Crime Unit, preliminary investigations suggest that the accused may have been involved in five other cases, all registered under the Arms Act.
Police suspect that the firearms were procured from Munger district in Bihar. Speaking to reporters, Kanungo said the accused claimed to be working as a sand supplier and possessing the weapons for personal safety.
However, investigators are yet to establish whether Behera was directly involved in an illegal arms transaction or was part of a larger smuggling network.
Police are now investigating the source of the seized firearms, their intended recipients and the possible involvement of other persons. The accused was scheduled to be produced before a court on Friday.
The seizure is part of the ongoing efforts to curb illegal firearms circulation in and around Bhubaneswar.
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