Police bust major inter-state arms trafficking racket in Bhubaneswar, two Bihar natives arrested
Bhubaneswar: The special crime unit (SCU) of city police on Saturday busted an inter-state arms trafficking racket and arrested two Bihar natives. SCU seized six firearms — a carbine rifle and five semi-automatic pistols.
The accused arms dealers were identified as Divyanshu Kumar and Chandan Kumar, both 26. They are from Khagaria in Bihar. They were apprehended during a meticulously planned operation, SCU sleuths said.
“SCU, acting on precise intelligence inputs, conducted the raid near Malisahi, Unit-III, under Kharavel Nagar police station. The operation, which unfolded between the midnight of Nov 14 and the early hours of Nov 15, was a result of strategic surveillance and intelligence gathering. SCU had been tracking the activities of an illegal firearms network suspected of supplying weapons across Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda and other parts of the state,” said police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh.
Police officers said the SCU team, based on intelligence obtained from a reliable source, engaged the accused in a negotiation for procurement of firearms. “The suspects agreed to deliver the weapons in Bhubaneswar in exchange for payment, revealing their involvement in the illegal arms trade,” a police officer said.
During the operation, SCU seized two magazines, nine rounds of live ammunition, two mobile phones and Rs 1,170 in cash. There was no resistance from the accused during the operation, officers said.
Police said the two accused are in their custody and being interrogated to uncover details about their supply chain, financial backers and the broader criminal network involved in the arms trade. “They will be produced in court soon,” said an officer.
Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to illegal arms or similar offences. It said the SCU can be contacted via their landline number (0674-2916383) for any information that could aid in their ongoing efforts to combat illegal arms trafficking.
The accused arms dealers were identified as Divyanshu Kumar and Chandan Kumar, both 26. They are from Khagaria in Bihar. They were apprehended during a meticulously planned operation, SCU sleuths said.
“SCU, acting on precise intelligence inputs, conducted the raid near Malisahi, Unit-III, under Kharavel Nagar police station. The operation, which unfolded between the midnight of Nov 14 and the early hours of Nov 15, was a result of strategic surveillance and intelligence gathering. SCU had been tracking the activities of an illegal firearms network suspected of supplying weapons across Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda and other parts of the state,” said police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh.
Police officers said the SCU team, based on intelligence obtained from a reliable source, engaged the accused in a negotiation for procurement of firearms. “The suspects agreed to deliver the weapons in Bhubaneswar in exchange for payment, revealing their involvement in the illegal arms trade,” a police officer said.
During the operation, SCU seized two magazines, nine rounds of live ammunition, two mobile phones and Rs 1,170 in cash. There was no resistance from the accused during the operation, officers said.
Police said the two accused are in their custody and being interrogated to uncover details about their supply chain, financial backers and the broader criminal network involved in the arms trade. “They will be produced in court soon,” said an officer.
Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to illegal arms or similar offences. It said the SCU can be contacted via their landline number (0674-2916383) for any information that could aid in their ongoing efforts to combat illegal arms trafficking.
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