Bhubaneswar, Nov 13: The Commissionerate Police’s Special Crime Unit has arrested a man and seized two semi-automatic firearms, eight rounds of live ammunition and an SUV during a crackdown on suspected illegal arms smuggling on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

The arrested person has been identified as Biswajit Behera, alias Kalia, a resident of Noda village under Gobindpur police station limits in Cuttack district.

According to police, the arrest followed specific intelligence inputs about the suspected transportation of illegal firearms to the Balipatna area. Acting on the information, a Special Crime Unit team intercepted the vehicle and apprehended the accused.

During the operation, police also seized two mobile phones and Rs 510 in cash from his possession. He was scheduled to be produced before a court on Friday.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Behera was allegedly involved in five other cases registered under the Arms Act, said DCP of the Special Crime Unit Anup Kumar Kanungo.

Police suspect that the firearms were procured from Munger district in Bihar. However, the accused claimed that he works as a sand supplier and possessed the weapons for personal safety.

Police are yet to establish his direct involvement in an arms transaction. Further investigation is underway to trace the source of the weapons and identify other possible members of the suspected arms smuggling network.

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