Bijnor: 2 illegal arms units raided, 2 held

BIJNOR: Ahead of the

Lok Sabha

elections, two illegal

arms

manufacturing factories were busted in Bijnor on Tuesday and 50 unauthorised weapons were seized. Two criminals were also arrested. The arrests and seizures came ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, during which, according to sources, the demand for illegal weapons peaks.

Addressing a press conference, Bijnor superintendent of police Sanjeev Tyagi said, “Police had got a tip-off that some people were indulging in making illegal arms in the district. Police raided two places early on Tuesday. The first raid was carried out at Seohara’s Mubarakpur village where an illegal arms’ factory was being run in a house owned by one Devdatt. Police seized 24 country-made pistols, five cartridges and a huge amount of raw material and equipment used in making arms. Police have arrested Devdatt, who has three criminal cases against him.”

“The second raid was conducted at Najib-ud-Daula fort, also known as Sultana Daku Ka Kila, in

Najibabad

where one Nadeem was running an illegal arms’ factory. He had set up the unit under the locked fort. Police have recovered 26 manufactured and half-finished pistols and two rifles. In addition, a considerable amount of raw material and equipment, used in making illegal arms, were also seized. Police had arrested Nadeem, who is the member of a robbery gang. He used to supply illegal weapons to criminals,” the SP said.

Tyagi said, “Police have questioned both the accused. They have confessed to their crime and told the cops that they have been indulged in arms-making for the past many years. This time, they were preparing a large number of weapons as LS polls are round the corner and demand for illegal weapons is on the rise.”