An illegal arms factory near the Yamuna River in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, was busted by Delhi Police, who had to cross nearly three kilometres of waterlogged fields, with depths ranging from three to eight feet, an official said on Saturday.
Shiv Charan, a resident of Mathura, was arrested during the operation, which led to the recovery of a large cache of illegal firearms and raw materials. The bust came just 10 days after a similar seizure in Aligarh, police added.
“The illegal factory was situated near the Yamuna River in Anerda Garhi village, Mathura. To reach the site, our team had to navigate nearly 3 km of waterlogged fields with water levels between 3 and 8 feet,” said Raja Banthia, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North).
According to him, it took the team almost two hours to reach the spot. Despite the flooded terrain, lack of light, and loss of mobile communication, the team recovered the weapons and arrested the accused.
The accused attempted to escape while being escorted back, taking advantage of the waterlogged fields, but was overpowered by the police team. Villagers told officers that Charan kept two dogs near the factory to keep outsiders away.
During interrogation, Charan revealed that he had earlier worked with his partner Hanvir, who was arrested in the recent Aligarh raid. While Hanvir went on to start another unit, Charan continued operating the Mathura factory independently.
Police said the weapons were produced and supplied through Hanvir, with both partners sharing the profits equally.
The raid led to the seizure of 14 country-made pistols, one musket gun, raw materials sufficient to manufacture over 350 pistols, 50 barrels, 28 barrel pipes, wooden handles, and other firearm components. Machinery used in arms production, including drill machines, a cutter, a grinder, and saws, was also recovered.
Police said further investigation is underway to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate.