Patna, June 14 : In a major crackdown on illegal activities, Nalanda Police of Bihar busted a mini arms-manufacturing factory operating from a residential area in Chiksaura on Friday night.

The accused, identified as Shankar Vishwakarma, a resident of Chiksaura Bazaar, was arrested during the operation.

According to police, Shankar was allegedly manufacturing illegal arms from within his home, raising serious concerns about the presence of an organised arms smuggling network in the region.

While addressing the media on Saturday, DSP Ranjan Kumar said, 'Based on secret information, a special team led by Hilsa Circle Inspector Chandrabhanu and Chiksaura SHO Ravindra Kumar conducted the raid. A significant quantity of arms, raw materials and manufacturing equipment were recovered from the premises.'

The district police have seized four semi-manufactured country-made pistol bodies, four semi-manufactured barrels, two country-made pistols, one cartridge and one misfired shell.

Apart from this, tools like two drill machines, one grinder machine, 11 files, three triggers, three saws, a wrench and a hand grip have also been seized.

The operation team included officers Subodh Rana, Vijay Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Rajkumar, and Manoj Kumar, all of whom played key roles in executing the raid.

The arrested accused is currently under interrogation. Preliminary investigation suggests that Shankar had been engaged in illegal manufacturing for several months, with the products potentially being used in local criminal activities.

'We are trying to identify others linked to this illegal activity. The supply chain and destination of these objects are under investigation. An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Arms Act in Chiksaura police station against the accused,' said DSP Kumar.

Following this bust, police have intensified surveillance at other suspected locations and initiated a series of raids to track down co-conspirators.

The discovery of this illegal unit in a densely populated area has shocked locals and raised questions about underground criminal networks operating under the radar in rural Bihar.

/IANS