A 25-year-old man and his 70-year-old uncle, who were allegedly manufacturing and selling country-made guns illegally in Neckanamalai Hills in Vaniyambadi Taluk Police Station jurisdiction, were arrested during the early hours of Friday.
The sleuths of Q branch-CID, which cracked down on the gun-making unit, seized also three single-barrel muzzle-loading (SBML) guns from K Rajakili and his uncle A Annamalai of Neckanamalai near Alanagam. They seized three butts, two barrels, raw materials and equipment used to make the guns.
Acting on a tip-off, a five-member team of the wing led by sub-inspector of police K Punitha conducted a raid on the house of Rajakili and Annamalai at around 7 am on Friday. “We found three guns stocked in the house of Rajakili and Annamalai during the raid. We found also butts and barrels that were cut into pieces to make new guns,” said SI Punitha.
Rajakili had acquired the skill of making SBML guns from his father and grandfather. He had been assisted by Annamalai, SI Punitha said, adding,“He manufactured guns based on orders. He had made several guns for the tribal villagers in the hills.” Rajakili had been selling the guns for a price between `2000 and `3000, said inspector of the wing M Balakrishnan.
On interrogation, he told police that he had been making for the last two years. He procured materials like iron and rods and other hardware from scrap merchants for making the guns in Vaniyambadi. He said Annamalai helped him in making the guns, said the inspector.
The Q branch police handed over the duo to the Vaniyambadi taluk police along with the seized weapons and raw materials. The police registered a case against them under section 25 (1) (a) and 25 (1) (B) (a) of the Indian Explosives Act, 1884, for possessing guns without a licence and manufacturing the firearms.
They were remanded in the judicial custody in Vellore Central Prison after producing them before the court.