BHUBANESWAR: One person was arrested on Monday for running an illegal weapon manufacturing unit from his quarters near Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) here. The accused is Nrusingha Nayak of Sarakantara.
On a tip-off about an explosion, Khandagiri police along with PCR van rushed to Nayak’s quarters and traced a massive cache of explosive materials in his house. He was detained and interrogated, police said. Materials used for making explosives like iron nails, gun powder, three country-made pistols, which were being assembled were recovered from the spot.
“Nayak was working as a maintenance supervisor at OUAT. He was staying in the City with his wife and children for the last 10 years,” Khandagiri IIC Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra said. Though a quarter was allotted to Nayak, he had taken another on rent to run the illegal gun manufacturing unit, sources said.
According to preliminary investigation, the culprit was manufacturing ammunition and guns for the last few months and selling those to anti-socials. A scientific team was called to the police station to identify the explosive materials seized from the spot.
Police said Nayak was earlier manufacturing firecrackers like his father, but then he started manufacturing weapons. “Investigation is on to ascertain from where the accused was procuring the explosive materials and to whom he was selling the weapons. A case has been registered and he has been arrested,” Khandagiri police said.