Birbhum cops intensify raids against illegal arms factories

The Birbhum district police accelerated the process of seizing illegal arms and ammunitions just after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave a stern warning on Monday during the District Review Meeting to step up vigilance and check bomb manufacturing, particularly in sensitive areas, where crude bomb-making-related explosions have taken place.

Recently, police seized four containers full of crude bombs from a village under the jurisdiction of Kankartala police station on Wednesday. The bomb disposal squad of the Criminal Investigation Department in Durgapur reached the spot to deactivate the bombs. Police arrested Shekh Yaar Mohammad Khan, one of the prime accused of arms racket in Birbhum on Tuesday.

"This is a continuous process. The raids against illegal firearms manufacturers will be continued," said N Sudheer Kumar, the superintendent of police, Birbhum district, while talking to Millennium Post.

It may be recalled that nine persons were killed in an explosion that took place at Darbarpur village in Birbhum's Labhpur last month. This incident came a day after locals from Darbarpur and neighbouring Mirbandh village had clashed over alleged illegal lifting of sand in the area.

The investigators later raided the Darbarpur village and seized 30 crude bombs from an abandoned house. Police seized such bombs from Kukhudihi, Durgapur crossing and Mohammadbazar.

Police recently found an illegal arms manufacturing unit at Khairasole. Some local gangs used to take arms from Khairasole's factory, the investigators believe.

It may be mentioned that the Chief Minister on her visit, had instructed the district police to pay adequate attention on incidents related to illegal arms and said that no bomb manufacturing would be further allowed. Police would have to seize all the arms. The Chief Minister also asserted that no hooliganism would be allowed.

She was informed that the whole district houses several illegal bomb-making factories. Therefore, she instructed the police to find out who are funding these factories and then take stringent action against them.

"From where do so many guns, bullets and bombs come into the district is also a matter of concern. We cannot sit idle and police will have to unearth them and take strict action against those behind such illegal activities," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Monday, further adding: "I have information that arms are coming to the state from Munger and also from other states. Criminals are coming from Delhi and Munger. We will have to intensify vigil and restore peace in the district."