Police arrest 2 firearm dealers in Kandhamal, seize ganja and country-made guns

Berhampur: Police on Monday arrested two firearm dealers from Baliguda in Kandhamal district and seized five country-made guns, four gun butts and 127 kg of ganja valued at over Rs 6 lakh.The accused were identified as Balia Pradhan, 30, of Takimaha and Sujan Bidhani, 50, of Gluda. “Arrest and seizure of the firearms along with contraband was done under the ongoing ‘Operation Prahar’ against narcotic and addictive substances,” said Ramendra Prasad sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Baliguda.He said that the arrests were made during patrolling on Saturday night. Pradhan was caught with two country-made guns, while Bidhani was intercepted near his village with around 127 kg of ganja, four gun butts and three country-made guns. Neither could produce any valid firearm licences.“We have launched further investigation to find out their manufacturing units and their supply chain,” said the SDPO.As part of the same drive, Digapahandi police on Sunday seized 56 kg of ganja worth Rs 3 lakh and arrested a 45-year-old auto driver, Sukant Mallick, from Bhusandapur in Khurda district. His vehicle, phone and contraband were confiscated. He is said to have transported ganja regularly to Puri.On Friday, Golanthara police arrested two ganja smugglers, Lipun Kumar Majhi, 35, and Ganeswar Behera, 27, from Angul district. The accused were on the run for two years after being found to be smuggling over 1,108kg of ganja in Aug 2023. The accused were arrested from their villages, police said.