Music album actor-director among 4 arrested for illegal firearms trade in Odisha

Cuttack: One music album actor-director among four persons was arrested for allegedly trading illegal firearms in Odisha, informed Cuttack DCP Prateek Singh today.

The accused have been identified as Prakash Rout alias Papu (35) of Sankarpur Diha Sahi, Gyana Ranjan Sahoo alias Naba (40) of Jhinkiria area, Pramod Kumar Rout alias Jitu (43) of Balabhadrapur, Bali Sahi and Susanta Parida (49) of Gatirout Patana.

Acting on a tip-off about suspicious movement of Gyana Ranjan Sahoo with firearms near Jhanjirmangala Gada, a team of police of Badambadi Police Station rushed to the spot and nabbed him. The police personnel seized one 7.65 mm country made pistol loaded with 2 rounds of live ammunitions from his possession during search.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that he purchased the weapon from Prakash Rout, the music director and actor of Shankarpur area under Badambadi police limits.

The 35-year-old Prakash Rout was trading the illegal firearms and procuring the same from his brother-in-law and professional Arm dealer Tukuna Swain of Talcher area, police revealed today.

The police later apprehended Prakash Rout on charges of illegal firearms trade. During search, 4 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, 4 rounds of 7.65 mm live ammunition and 2 rounds of 0.38 mm live ammunition were seized from him.

Other two persons — Pramod Rout and Susanta Parida — allegedly involved in the illegal trade were apprehended. During search, one sixer with 2 live ammunition were seized from Pramod Rout and one country made 9 mm Pistol loaded with 2 numbers of live ammunition were seized form Susanta Parida.

Altogether one country made 9 mm pistol, one country made of 7.65mm pistol, one sixer and 16 live ammunition were seized from four accused persons.

During investigation, it came to fore that the four persons were active in supply and sale of firearms and ammunition to anti-socials/criminals in Cuttack and other districts by the direction of Tukuna Swain of Angul district.

“Their objective was to augment the devastating effect of criminality in every nook and corner of the society through criminal network to extort money from businessmen and contractors during festive season,” police said in a release today.

All four have been booked under sections 25(1)(a)/25(1-AA) of Arms Act.

Further investigation is underway to uncover their involvement in some other cases lodged at various police stations in Cuttack.