KOLKATA: An illegal arms manufacturing factory was discovered in Jagatdal in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Tuesday with police arresting nine persons, most of them residents of illegal arms hub Munger in Bihar, and seizing some 60 semi-finished improvised weapons mostly pistols, a firearm-making lathe machine, drilling machines and two milling machines along with Rs 1 lakh in fake currency notes of Rs 500.
The police were led to the illegal arms manufacturing factory by Md Abdullah, a resident of Munger in Bihar, who was arrested on Monday night along with Suku Sheikh of Kaliachak, Malda and Md Azimuddin of Munger, Bihar by the anti-FICN (Fake Indian Currency Notes) section of the Special Task Force of the Kolkata police while the accused were trading fake notes and illegal arms at Maidan in central Kolkata.
Some 40 pieces of semi-finished improvised firearms and FICN amounting Rs 1 lakh in Rs 500 denominations were recovered from their possession. Upon interrogation, Md Abdullah led the police to the illegal weapons factory at Choto Sreerampore in Jagatdal where six more persons were found working inside the factory making weapons and were arrested.
The persons arrested from the arms factory were identified as Md Sabir Raien, Md Shaud Alam, Md Shanwaz, Md Faisal and Md Chand, all residents of Munger district of Bihar and Md Razi of Begusarai district of Bihar.
"Some 20 pieces of unfinished improvised firearms, one lathe machine, two milling machines and two drilling machines along with a huge amount of country made improvised firearms parts, raw materials and instruments were seized from the firearms factory," a press communiqué said.
Cases under Section 120B, 489B and 489C of Indian Penal Code read with 25(1)(a) and 25(1B)(a) of Arms Act have been booked against the nine accused. They were produced in the court on Tuesday which awarded them police custody.