Odisha Police Intensifies Crackdown on Illegal Firearms: 20 Arrested in Ganjam District

Major Arrests in Ganjam District

Berhampur: In an ongoing effort to combat illegal firearms in Ganjam district, Odisha police apprehended 20 individuals on Tuesday, confiscating eight homemade pistols, 31 rounds of ammunition, and 12 magazines across four police jurisdictions.

Additionally, authorities seized a vehicle, three motorcycles, and 14 mobile phones from the suspects.

This recent operation has led to a total of 25 firearms and 97 rounds of ammunition being seized within the past week, as part of a targeted initiative to address illegal arms, according to Niti Sekhar, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the southern range.

In total, 37 individuals, primarily with criminal backgrounds, have been arrested over the week, the IGP reported.

In the Kotinada police station area, four firearms were confiscated, resulting in the arrest of eight individuals, while five were detained and two firearms seized in the Hinjili police jurisdiction.

Aska and Polasara police also reported the seizure of one homemade pistol each, leading to the arrest of five and two suspects, respectively.

Earlier, on May 4, police conducted overnight raids across six police station areas, resulting in the seizure of 17 illegal firearms and 66 rounds of ammunition, along with the arrest of 18 individuals.

"Our preliminary investigations have traced the sources of these illegal firearms to outside states, particularly Munger in Bihar. We plan to establish a special team to identify the exact origins of these weapons," stated Subhendu Kumar Patra, the Superintendent of Police (Ganjam).

The crackdown on illegal firearms will persist in the district, as police conduct raids to thwart potential organized crime.