Khurda: The special task force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch Saturday busted an interstate firearm trading racket near Khurda-Ranpur border and arrested two in this connection, an official source informed.
According to an STF official, both the arrested men are history-sheeters. They were identified as Basant Moharana from Ranpur area in Nayagarh district and Krushna Chandra Srichandan from Khurda town.
Police have recovered as many as 10 guns from their possession.
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STF received reliable inputs suggesting that the accused were in possession of a number of illegal firearms and had been negotiating with different parties to sell the same.
Swinging into action, the team arrested the two men at Siko village under Jankia police limits. Five pistols, five single barrel muzzle loading (SBML) guns, eight rounds of live bullets, an empty cartridge, a motorcycle and several other incriminating instruments were seized from their possession, the senior STF official said.
Jankia police have registered a case in this connection under the Arms Act, 1959 and launched a probe which is underway.
Notably, the drive against illegal possession and trading of arms and ammunition were intensified in the state in 2020. The STF has so far seized a total of 47 firearms, 84 live bullets and has made several arrests.
PNN