Illegal arms unit busted, five held

RAJKOT: Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajkot police cracked down on an illegal weapon manufacturing unit in Sardhar village near Jasdan and arrested five persons besides recovering 10 country made firearms and six cartridges.

Police commissioner Mohan Jha said, “The general elections are approaching and we are taking preventive measures while keeping a watch on illegal activities. We have arrested Manhar alias Munno Jadeja, Sindha Koli, Mansukh Patel, Praful Bavaji and Dolubha.”

SOG officials said they first arrested Manhar Jadeja with a country-made revolver. He told the police that he had purchased the weapon from Sindha Koli of Ramdiya village in Jasdan. Police then arrested Sindha from Sardhar village. Sindha told the police that he had purchased the weapons from Mansukh Patel of Sardhar and Praful Bavaji of Bhadla village.

“We carried out a raid at Mansukh’s farm in Sardhar and recovered tools used in making country-made revolver, pistol and other arms. Mansukh and Praful told us that they have sold five country-made revolvers to Dolubha in Bhadla village. We have also arrested Dolubha,” Jha said. SOG officials said they are investigating as to how many weapons they have manufactured and sold.