Ahead of the celebration of Maharashtra Day on May 1, the police Friday have recovered 25 sharpened swords in Nanded which is a communally sensitive area. Earlier, on Wednesday the police had seized 90 swords from the tribal-dominated Dhule district and 92 swords from Pimpri Chinchwad on April 5. The seizure of 25 swords at Nanded is the third instance when the police have seized a huge quantity of swords. The police have sounded alert and launched a probe to find out sabotage if any.
A senior home department official told the Free Press Journal, ‘’The department is concerned over the recovery of a huge stock of swords at three places and asked the district and city police chiefs to keep close vigil to avoid disruption in law and order.’’
"Acting on a tip-off, we raided an auto and recovered the swords. A trap was laid by Police Inspector Shivajinagar. One man Akash Shivaji has been detained," said Pramod Kumar Shewale, SP, Nanded.
In Dhule, two swords' consignment was headed to Jalna. he large cache of swords was seized from a vehicle near Songir village of Dhule. Police had also arrested four people along with the weapons. The seized consignment was worth Rs 7.13 lakh along with the vehicle.
"Acting on a tip-off, a vehicle carrying a huge stock of swords was intercepted by the Songir police on the Agra-Mumbai highway," said Pravinkumar Patil, Dhule SP. The four arrested accused were presented before the local court and sent to police custody till May 3.
On April 5, Pimpri Chinchwad police seized 92 swords, two kukris (curved knives), and nine scabbards worth Rs 3.7 lakhs from a private courier service firm’s facility in the Dighi area of Pune district.
“The consignment was sent by Umesh Sood and was supposed to be delivered to Anil resident of Aurangabad,” said Krishna Prakash, Commissioner, Pimpri Chinchwad Police who has been recently transferred.
