TALCHER: The main accused of illegal arms manufacturing unit here, Tukuna Swain (35), reportedly sold guns and other firearms outside the State.
After he surrendered at the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court on Saturday, police had taken him on a four-day remand from August 16. He was absconding ever since the arms unit was unearthed earlier this month.
Interrogation revealed that he used to supply arms to criminal gangs in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Kendrapara, Balasore, besides to some other States like Jharkhand and Bihar. Police said Tukuna, however, had no links with Maoist outfit. It came to fore that Tukuna was manufacturing arms in his rented house here for the last six months.
On August 10, the illegal small arms unit operating from a rented house at Champasi was unearthed and police seized firearms, including 31 Mauser pistols, 500 live cartridges, gelatin, gun powder, equipment needed for making gun, documents and a list of names and bank accounts. The gun-making unit was being run clandestinely in the two-storey rented house. Neighbours had no inkling of it.
Police then cracked down on the house of Tukuna at Paikasahi. He, however, managed to escape. At least five persons were arrested in this connection and two among them, are juveniles. They all belong to Bihar.
Meanwhile, the SDPO of Talcher, Kailash Chandra Parida, has been placed as the investigating officer in the case.