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Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed

Racketeers manufactured illegal firearms under the brand name of ‘Umarti Shikilgar Arms (USA).

5 min readUpdated: Nov 22, 2025 10:10 PM IST

The operation follows the seizure of multiple Umarti-made pistols linked to crimes in Pune and across states.

Pune Police carried out a high-risk raid in Madhya Pradesh’s Umarti village, long infamous for illegal firearm production, destroying 52 kilns and detaining 36 people. (Express Photo)

Over a hundred policemen from Pune city conducted a massive raid on the illegal firearms manufacturers at Umarti, the ‘village of pistols’ in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday.

The police destroyed nearly 50 kilns at the weapon manufacturing units and detained nearly 36 persons for investigation into the illegal firearms racket.

Police said a probe into 21 country-made pistols seized from suspects arrested in various cases in Pune city in the Past few days revealed that illegal firearms were being manufactured at Umarti village in MP under the brand name of ‘Umarti Shikilgar Arms (USA).

Known as ‘village of pistols’ in police circles, Umarti shares a border with Maharashtra at the Chopda taluka in Jalgaon district. Not just in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, but the ‘made in Umarti’ weapons including pistols, live cartridges and modified small guns, are being smuggled to multiple states including Punjab, through a well-organised network of illegal firearms dealers and suppliers, police said.

The firearms racketeers in Umarti are suspected to have contacts with organised crime syndicates in different states.
Recently, on the night of November 2, the Pune city police arrested a 23-year-old Pradip alias Babu Yashwant Kondhwalkar from Chandanagar with a country-made pistol and a live cartridge. During investigation, two more were arrested and ten more pistols were seized in this case registered at Vimantal police station, said Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil.

Also, four pistols were seized from persons arrested in a separate case at the Kalepadal police station this month. Crime branch personnel also seized seven pistols in different cases.

Probe into the illegal firearms seizure in Pune provided leads on how these pistols were manufactured at Umarti and smuggled to different states. Then, considering the notorious nature of the firearms racketeers in Umarti, the Pune city police planned a proper action against the illegal weapons manufacturing units in the village, located in the vicinity of forest, in the jurisdiction of Warla police station in Barwani.

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A special team of 105 policemen was formed under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4) Somay Munde, a recipient of the Shaurya Chakra gallantry award, for his courageous action against the armed Maoists in Gadchiroli that led to the killing of top naxal leader Milind Teltumbde in 2021.

Along with arms and ammunition, the police team left for Umarti with bullet proof jackets, body-worn cameras, drones, mobile surveillance vehicles and a temporary wireless network unit. A quick response team (QRT) was also deployed for their assistance. Cops started the raid in the early hours of Saturday.

Joint Commissioner of Police Rajan Kumar Sharma said if the weapon dealers opened fire, preparations were done to counter them effectively while carrying out the raid on illegal firearms manufacturing units in Umarti, in coordination with the Jalgaon and Madhya Pradesh police.

“The action is still on. Huge amounts of weapons and material used for manufacturing firearms, along with some modern equipment, have been seized. Nearly 50 kilns used for moulding and production of illegal weapons were destroyed. Several persons have been detained at the spot for investigation. Their role in the firearms racket is being investigated. Those found involved would be arrested. More details would be shared later,” said Sharma, during a press conference.

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Pune police recorded videos of the action at Umarti using drones. Additional Commissioner of Police (crime) Pankaj Deshmukh said it will be investigated whether the firearms smuggled from Umarti were used for committing any crimes in Pune.

Also Read | From village in Madhya Pradesh, weapons find their way to Punjab, other states

‘Illegal firearms trade in Umarti for 50 years’
Dr Maheshwar Reddy, Superintendent of Police, Jalgaon said, “The illegal manufacturing of firearms has been going on in Umarti for nearly 50 years. Majority of the people from Umarti village belong to the Shikligar Sikh community and many of them are involved in the unauthorised firearms trade.”

Reddy said the Jalgaon police has this year seized nearly 65 desi kattas (country made pistols), all manufactured in Umarti. “Last year too we seized nearly 90 pistols made in Umarti…. History sheeters from Maharashtra and other states have their contacts in Umarti for procuring the illegal firearms,” Reddy said.

Asked why the MP police have failed to curb the firearms racket operating from Umarti, Reddy refused to comment. Reddy had visited the Umarti village in March 2024 during the joint border conference with Madhya Pradesh police to improve coordination for curbing illegal firearms trade and other criminal activities in the border areas.

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However, in February this year, after the Jalgaon police arrested a firearms dealer from Umarti, his associates launched a major attack on the cops and even abducted a police constable. They released the constable after the Jalgaon police authorities communicated with their counterparts in Madhya Pradesh and the Sarpanch of Umarti.

‘Minors got Umarti weapons for murder’
Earlier this month, the Pimpri Chinchwad police had nabbed six minor boys after one of them was found posing with two pistols on Instagram. Police seized two pistols and two cartridges from the minors. Probe revealed that minors had a dispute with a man operating an Anda Bhurji stall in Aundh. Police said to murder this man, the minor accused had purchased the two pistols and cartridges from Guru Singh (23), a weapon dealer from the Umarti village in MP, by paying him Rs 50,000 through their 19-year-old friend.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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