2 arrested for setting up arms repairing unit in Raipur

Raipur, Aug 28 (PTI) Two persons, including a homoeopathydoctor, were arrested for allegedly setting up an armsrepairing and modification workshop here, police said today. A cache of weapons and ammunition, including a modified315 bore rifle and a 12 bore gun, was recovered from theworkshop established in a multi-storeyed house, they said. The doctor, Aniruddha Chatterjee, who had allegedly set upthe arms repairing and modification workshop at his house inTagore Nagar in Raipur’s heart, and his friend Rajesh Pal werenabbed late last night, Additional Superintendent of Police(Crime Branch) Ajatshatru Bahadur Singh told PTI. Chatterjee and Pal, both 38, were booked for possessingillegal arms and ammunition. "As per preliminary investigation, the recovered items donot have any link with Naxals," Singh said, but added athorough probe was on. A unit of Crime Branch had been engaged in collectinginputs about people possessing illegal firearms in the capitalfor the past few months. During the process, they received specific informationabout Pal, a native of Tikrapara here, that he possessed apistol procured illegally. After verification, Crime Branchtook Pal, who works in a construction company, into custodyfor interrogation yesterday, he said. A pistol and seven ‘live’ rounds were recovered from thehouse of Pal, who claimed he received them from his closefriend Chatterjee, he said. He revealed that the workshop was on the third floor ofChatterjee’s house. Police swung into action and a team, whichincluded Crime Branch members, raided Chatterjee’s residenceand unearthed the illegal facility, he added. Besides the two guns, 32 revolvers, 148 ‘live’ roundsof different guns, 529 empty cartridges, one box of gunpowder,10 pieces of air gun parts, eight pieces of revolver grips,one air gun barrel, one rifle handle, one cutter machine, 20bows, dummy guns and several tools and machines wererecovered, Singh said. Several sharp-edged weapons, including seven swords, twoknives and as many javelins were also seized. According to Chatterjee, he set up the facility because hewas passionate about possessing weapons and their modificationand was not involved in their illegal sale, police said. The source of arms and ammunition recovered from the sitewas being ascertained, Singh said. Chatterjee and Pal are yet to be throughly interrogated,he said, adding that once it is done the probe will moveforward. PTI TKP RSYMRJ