Mira Bhayandar: Less than three days after busting an inter-state arms supply cartel, the crime branch unit (zone I) attached to the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) arrested a Nagpur-based gunrunner who was found to be in possession of illegal firearms in Kashimira on Wednesday.
According to the police the accused who has been identified as Parmanand Naresh Mhatre (27) who was arrested from a room in Hotel Western was found to be in possession of four country-made pistols and eight live cartridges worth more than Rs. 2.08 lakh.
About The Seizure
Acting on a tip-off received by API- Prashant Gangurde, a team under the supervision of police inspector- Aviraj Kurhade swooped down on the hotel and nabbed Mhatre with the firearms. Mhatre, who works as a labourer in Nagpur had checked into the hotel a few hours before he was arrested, police said. The barrel length and bore of the country-made pistols measured 15 cm and 1 cm respectively.
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“The accused seems to be just a carrier who was apparently hired to deliver the arms. Investigations were on to ascertain the source of the firearms and its potential buyers,” said a senior police official. Meanwhile, an offence has been registered at the Kashigaon police station under the relevant sections of the Arms Act and Maharashtra Police Act against Mhatre who has been remanded into custody.
It may be recalled that eight people including arm suppliers and buyers were recently arrested from various states by the MBVV police who seized 9 country-made pistols and 21 live cartridges worth Rs.3.83 lakh from their possession.
The influx of weapons in the lead-up to the crucial state assembly elections has become a cause of concern for law enforcement agencies. However, the MBVV police are on overdrive mode to weed out anti-social elements from the region ahead of the assembly elections which are scheduled to be held on 20, November.
