400 cops, 5-hour raid, one village: How Maharashtra cops zeroed in on illegal arms hub in MP
During the raid in Umarti village of Madhya Pradesh, the Maharashtra cops searched 45 houses of the suspects linked to illegal arms manufacturing, questioned 20 people and detained 12 for verification
Stepping up their action against the illegal arms network, codenamed ‘Operation Combing’, more than 400 policemen from Maharashtra stormed Umarti village in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh and launched a five-hour raid in one of the biggest coordinated anti-arms operations undertaken by the state police.
During the raid in Umarti village, the cops searched 45 houses of the suspects linked to illegal arms manufacturing, questioned 20 people and detained 12 for verification. Of the 20, 12 persons were released later with notices, police said.
Umar village, about a kilometre from the Maharashtra border, has long figured on the radar of Maharashtra Police as a suspected hub for the manufacture and supply of country-made weapons used in crimes across north of the state.
Operation Combing: Who was targeted?
Police said the operation targeted absconding accused wanted in serious criminal cases as well as those allegedly involved in manufacturing and supplying illegal firearms.
While the raids were on, the cops caught two persons and seized two country-made pistols and four live cartridges from them. Moulds, raw materials and equipment allegedly used to manufacture firearms were also seized.
Maharashtra Police raids village in MP (Picture by Jalgaon Police)
Another major haul included 32 motorcycles bearing Maharashtra registration numbers that are suspected to be stolen and used in criminal activities. According to police, many of the vehicles are registered in Nashik Rural.
Jalgaon Superintendent of Police Shrikant Dhivare said the operation was aimed at disrupting the illegal arms supply chain, feeding the criminal networks in Maharashtra.
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Cops use geo-tagging to map houses of accused
A key feature of the drive was the use of geo tagging technology to digitally map the houses of 27 absconding and suspected accused. Police said the digital mapping would help track suspects and improve future surveillance.
The operation was led by Additional Superintendent of Police Ashok Nakhate and involved officers from three districts, including eight police inspectors, 35 police sub inspectors and over 240 constables from Jalgaon, besides 140 personnel from Nashik Rural and Dhule.
Nearly 30 percent of the force comprised women police personnel, who were deployed to handle women residents during the searches. Police said lessons from previous raids were incorporated into the planning to ensure the operation could be carried out without resistance overwhelming the teams.
Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region.
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Maharashtra Police raids village in MP (Picture by Jalgaon Police)