STF busts arms factory in Malda, Bihar duo arrested

KOLKATA/MALDA: An arms factory that hired gunsmiths from Munger, Bihar for Rs 500-700 for each improvised firearm they made, was busted by Kolkata STF and local police in Malda on Saturday.
According to STF, the accused have been identified as Md Azam and Md Faraque Alam, both 32 and hailing from Munger.
Rakibul Sk, owner of the house that doubled as an arms factory in Chandpur Patuatoli village, fled moments before the 10.15am raid carried out in Kaliachak with assistance of local police.
“The accused used to play loud music at night. The main factory was on the rooftop. Locals thought the labourers were playing music after a hard day’s work. The real reason was to drown the sounds of manufacturing work being carried out mainly at night,” said an investigating officer.
DC (STF) Aparajita Rai said among the items seized were one improvised 7mm pistol, seven unfinished improvised 7mm semi-automatic pistols, various firearms-making articles and materials, and some nuts and bolts. “We have started a case under sections 25(a) (1-AA) and 35 of the Arms Act,” Rai said.
This is the fourth major raid on an arms factory in West Bengal in the past two-and-a-half years. “We are raiding whenever we are getting leads of Bihar-based gangs trying to open set-ups in this state,” an officer said.
SP Alok Rajoria said: “The duo will be interrogated to find out about their employer and the racket behind it.” The two men were produced in a Malda court on Sunday and sent to police custody. It is learnt that one of them was arrested in 2017 in an arms deal case.
The busting of the arms factory sparked a political blame game between Trinamool Congress and BJP. District BJP’s Ajoy Ganguly said: “We have been complaining that at the ruling party’s behest, arms are made in rural Bengal prior to elections to create violence. Now, with pressure from Election Commission, state police are acting.”
District Trinamool’s Dulal Sarkar said: “Police are acting and miscreants are being arrested. This proves law and order in Bengal is far better than in BJP-ruled states.”