Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police Monday busted an illegal gun-making unit that ran from the quarters of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) staff housing colony at Siripur area. Police also seized a huge cache of materials used for manufacturing of bombs and handmade firearms.
The seizure of the explosives and the subsequent arrest of Nrushing Nayak, the accused, from the OUAT staff colony, have raised several questions on the intelligence gathering mechanism of the local police and the university authorities. Nayak had been running this business for close to 20 years while the city police were blissfully unaware of it.
A resident of Sarakantara village under Khandagiri police station limits, Nayak was working as a maintenance supervisor at OUAT. He has been staying in the official quarter (1 R-1/7) for more than 20 years. Earlier, he had been arrested on charge of making pistols and bombs in his residence.
Police failed to trace the illegal activities that ran right under its nose for past so many years.
The sleuths of the commissioenrate police did not find out Nayak’s illegal activities on their own but they accidentally stumbled upon it. Sunday night, some locals informed police when a cracker stored in an adjacent room went off. Police found another room closed from outside and later were shocked to find half-made pistols, materials including chemicals used in the making of bombs, in the room.
Subsequently, police arrested Nayak who revealed that his family had been engaged in traditional cracker-making business for past several years. The facts that emerged during the investigation were even more worrisome for the police. Several criminal cases including bombing and attempt to murder have been pending against Nayak at Kahandagiri police station.
Nayak’s elder brother died a few years ago while he was trying to throw bombs at their enemies during a village fight. Everyone in Sarakantara village was aware of his history. However, many were amazed that despite having such a criminal history, Nayak could continue as a government servant in a prominent state-owned institute for so many years. Sources told Orissa POST that it is the fault of the local police who were employed to check his back ground. Further investigations will reveal the buyers who patronised Nayak. Police have lodged a case against Nayak.
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