Cuttack: In a major crackdown, the Commissionerate Police busted a firearm smuggling racket Tuesday at Gurukhetra field near Kaliaboda mutt of Cuttack.
Seven persons including two masterminds of the racket who are history-sheeters were arrested in this connection, Police Commissioner Saumendra Priyadarshi informed Wednesday.
Seven guns including four 7.65mm pistols, three 9mm pistols and 65 live bullets along with three vehicles and six mobile phones have been recovered from their possession, a police official stated.
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The arrested masterminds were identified as Bijay Kumar Nayak from Kendrapara and his aide Jagannath Das alias Jaga of Cuttack district. “Bijay and Jaga are the kingpins of the illegal firearms dealing syndicate,” the Police Commissioner expressed.
Others who were arrested are Bijay Samal, Pyarimohan Das alias Pintu of Tirtol area in Jagatsinghpur district, Tushar Khuntia alias Bhalu and Srinath Rout. Bijay was an accused in the sensational Sheikh Suleiman murder case in 2009. He was also an associate of gangster Tito. Bijay was recently granted bail in the murder case, Priyadarshi added.
At least 10 criminal cases are pending against Bijay at several police stations of Kendrapara and one case at Mancheswar police station in Bhubaneswar. Likewise, 15 criminal cases are pending against Jaga in Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur districts.
PNN