CUTTACK: Cracking down on anti-social activities ahead of Durga Puja, Badambadi police on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, busted a gunrunning racket with the arrest of four hardcore criminals. The accused are Gyana Ranjan Sahoo of Jhinkiria within Cuttack Sadar police limits, Prakash Rout (35) of Shankarpur Diha Sahi within Badambadi police limits, Pramod Kumar Rout (43) of Balabhadrapur Bali Sahi within Badambadi police limits and Susanta Parida (49) of Gatirout Patana within Chauliaganj police limits. Police have seized three weapons including a country made 9 mm pistol, a 7.65 mm pistol, a revolver and 16 rounds of ammunition from them.
DCP Prateek Singh said, acting on a tip-off that Sahoo was moving around suspiciously near Jhanjirmangala Gada armed with a weapon, a team of Badambadi police station rushed to the spot and nabbed him. During search, a 7.65 mm country-made pistol loaded with two rounds of live ammunition were seized from him.
During interrogation, Sahoo said he had received the weapon from Rout, an arms dealer. He said Rout procured the weapons and ammunition from his brother-in-law and professional arms dealer Tukuna Swain of Talcher who was earlier arrested in connection with an arms supplies case.
Sahoo further said he had supplied arms to Rout and Parida, who were arrested and a 9 mm pistol and a revolver seized from them. During verification, it was ascertained that the accused were directed by Swain to enhance their network and become more active in the supply and sale of firearms and ammunition to anti-social elements and criminals in Cuttack and other districts.
“Their objective was to augment their criminal network and extend it to every nook and corner of the city and supply firearms which are used to unleash terror and extort money from businessmen, contractors, etc during Puja,” said Singh.