Illegal arms manufacturing unit busted, 25-year-old arrested

Indore: Dhar police busted a mini illegal firearm manufacturing unit operating from a village near Gandhwani and arrested a 25-year-old man allegedly involved in making and supplying country-made weapons.

Acting on a tip-off, a team led by Gandhwani police raided a house in Baria village’s Block Colony on Friday evening.

Dhar SP Sachin Sharma said the accused, Rohit Barnala, was allegedly caught behind his house while manufacturing a country-made pistol along with a magazine and live cartridges.

Police said the raid led to the seizure of a large quantity of equipment and raw material used for manufacturing illegal firearms. Among the items recovered were a country-made pistol with a magazine, three live cartridges, an additional magazine, two grinder machines, 22 grinding discs, two pliers, three hammers, 21 barrel covers, 23 barrel pipes, 11 pistol moulds, a hacksaw, springs and screws, four magazine moulds, measuring tools, chisels and other components used in the fabrication of weapons.

Gandhwani police station in-charge Pradeep Khanna said that the operation was carried out as part of a district-wide campaign against the illegal manufacture and sale of firearms. Investigators were questioning the accused to ascertain whether the weapons were being supplied to criminal networks and to identify others involved in the operation.

A case was registered against Rohit under the Arms Act.