Police in Brajrajnagar arrested three persons during a late-night raid near the Samaleswari coal mines area and seized illegal firearms and ammunition from their possession.
According to police, one country-made pistol with two live rounds and a 7.6 mm pistol with two live rounds were recovered during the operation.
The arrested accused have been identified as Bikash Oram (25), Tarani Bag (26), and Sangam Collet (20), all hailing from Mangalpur under Rengali police station limits in Sambalpur district. They were later forwarded to court, informed Brajarajnagar SDPO Chintamani Pradhan.
Police said they had received specific intelligence about an illegal arms racket operating in the region. Acting on the tip-off, a team led by SI S. Behera of Rampur outpost carried out the raid in a deserted area and apprehended the trio.
During personal searches, a country-made pistol with two live bullets was seized from Sangam Collet, while a 7.6 mm pistol with two live rounds was recovered from Bikash Oram. None of the accused could produce valid licenses for the weapons.
Police further stated that investigations are underway to trace the source of the arms and identify the potential buyers involved in the illegal trade.
