In a significant crackdown on the illicit arms trade, the Pune Police have successfully seized three country-made pistols and arrested three individuals in separate operations across Pimpri and Chakan. The police revealed that most of these weapons were smuggled into the region from Umrati and other locations in Madhya Pradesh.
Coordinated Police Operations Lead to Arrests
The police action unfolded over the weekend. On Saturday, a team from the Sant Tukaramnagar police station, led by Police Sub-Inspector Shakir Jinedi, acted on a specific tip-off. The information indicated that a person from Hadapsar had come to Pimpri area carrying a firearm. The police laid a trap along the busy Pune-Mumbai highway and apprehended the suspect. He was identified as 23-year-old Manthan Gaikwad. A country-made pistol and a live cartridge were recovered from his possession.
In a parallel action on the same day, a separate team from Pimpri police arrested 30-year-old Abhishek Naik, a resident of Dattawadi. He was nabbed at Dattanagar in Chinchwad, and a country-made pistol was found on him.
Weapons Trafficked from Neighbouring State
The crackdown had begun a day earlier. Late on Friday night, the Chakan police arrested Vinaydeep Manwate (27), who hails from Hingoli district. A country-made pistol was seized from him. An FIR against Manwate was officially registered on Saturday.
A senior officer from the Crime Branch stated that these arrests are part of a special drive launched against illegal firearms in the Pimpri Chinchwad jurisdiction. The drive has yielded substantial results so far, with police confirming that more than 13 illegal firearms have been seized in the ongoing operation. "We will continue our drive," the officer affirmed.
Focus on Disrupting the Supply Chain
Highlighting the interstate smuggling network, the Crime Branch officer provided crucial insight. The firearms seized in Pimpri Chinchwad were primarily smuggled from Umrati and other parts of Madhya Pradesh. The police are now intensifying efforts to trace and apprehend the middlemen and suppliers who facilitate the flow of these dangerous weapons into Maharashtra. "We are looking for the middlemen who supplied these weapons," the officer emphasized, indicating that the investigation is moving up the chain to dismantle the network.
These operations underscore the police's commitment to curbing gun violence and organized crime by targeting the source and distribution of illegal arms in the Pune metropolitan region.
