Arms seized by police recently in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, March 10: Gunrunning is threatening to boost crime in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, where more than 500 arms have been seized by police during the last three years.

Sources at the city police said that in majority of cases, firearms were seized from smugglers by setting up decoys. In October last year, the Cuttack police seized 17 guns carried by Meena Devi, a resident of Munger in Bihar, which still remains the most prolific source of guns for criminals in the twin cities.

Before that in 2009, the police had arrested Sushil Samal and seized five pistols and 128 rounds of live ammunition from him. Sources said that the guns coming from other states were usually transported by road, which is considered much safer than trains. Gunjan Saha, a notorious arms smuggler from the Qasim Bazar area of Munger, has been funnelling arms into the twin cities through Mahesh Bihari, his trusted linkman who has been arrested in the past.

“Guns normally come to the twin cities from Munger in Bihar. Firearms also reach Orissa from Santragachhi in Bengal,” said a police officer adding that Munger district was the most abundant source of arms as many illegal gun factories flourished there.

“Gun making is like a cottage industry in Munger. People from Bihar who have either stayed in Cuttack or Bhubaneswar or have an idea of the twin cities ply the illegal gun trade,” said the officer.

Sources said that illegal guns were also being manufactured in Nayagarh, Dhenkanal and Rourkela.

Although country made guns and pistols often look similar to the official weapons carried by policemen, they generally have a shorter range. If the pistols used by the police have a 25 metre killing range and up to 50 metres injuring range, country made guns have a killing range of 15 metres and injuring range of 35 metres.

Gunrunners’ weapons come in three categories — half slide, full slide and single shot. While they procure half-slide pistols for Rs 10,000 and sell it for Rs 25,000 a piece, a full slide pistol sells for Rs 30,000 against the original price of Rs 15,000. Similarly, they buy a revolver for Rs 6,000-7000 and sell it for more than Rs 10,000. The single shot pistol comes for Rs 5,000.

The commissioner of police, B. K. Sharma said even small time criminals have started using guns. “As the use of illegal arms has increased, we have intensified our raids and are making frequent seizures,” he added.