Two Held as Police Unearth Illegal Gun-Making Unit in Ganjam Forest

Bhubaneswar: Ganjam police have busted an illegal firearm manufacturing unit concealed inside the Siarimala forest and arrested two persons allegedly involved in producing country-made weapons.

The accused have been identified as Subash Gamang (45) and Bulu Dalabehera (50), both residents of Jhadapalli village under the jurisdiction of Gangapur police station.

The breakthrough came during a routine night patrol on the Jholori–Pangidi stretch of State Highway-33, when Buguda police intercepted the two suspects and recovered two country-made firearms from their possession. During interrogation, the duo reportedly disclosed the location of a clandestine workshop operating in the foothills of the Siarimala forest.

Acting on the information, a police team raided the site and unearthed an illegal firearms manufacturing unit hidden deep inside the forest. Officers seized firearm components, manufacturing tools and equipment used for assembling unlicensed weapons, in addition to recovering two country-made guns.

Preliminary investigation suggests the illegal unit had been functioning for several years, supplying locally manufactured firearms. Police are now investigating the network behind the operation and tracing possible buyers who may have procured weapons from the accused.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Bhanjanagar) Deepak Kumar Mishra said the arrests followed the recovery of firearms during the patrol, which subsequently led police to the illegal workshop. He added that efforts are underway to identify others connected to the racket, and further investigation is in progress.