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Weapons from MP’s Umrarti village linked to major Pune gang crimes, says police
Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said investigations into multiple gang cases repeatedly traced the weapons to Umrarti, prompting a large-scale police operation in the village last week
Pune police have linked a significant number of weapons used in major gang-related crimes in the city to Umrarti village in Madhya Pradesh, now identified as one of India’s most active illegal arms manufacturing hubs.
Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said investigations into multiple gang cases repeatedly traced the weapons to Umrarti, prompting a large-scale police operation in the village last week.
“Initial information shows Umrarti has supplied 700 to 800 illegal weapons over the past five years to buyers across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh,” Kumar said at the city police commissionerate on Sunday.
“Almost every major gang crime in Pune in the last couple of years has a clear Umrarti connection.”
In many previous cases, seized pistols and country-made firearms had identical barrel designs and machining patterns, leading police to investigate the supply chain, which ultimately pointed to underground workshops in Umrarti.
For the raid, Pune police deployed a team of 105 personnel, anticipating possible retaliation.
The operation, conducted early Saturday morning, initially detained 47 suspects. Seven key suppliers were arrested and brought to Pune, where a court granted five days of police custody. Dossiers on other accused and fringe elements were shared with Madhya Pradesh police, who have registered a separate illegal arms manufacturing case.
The arrested individuals are identified as Bacchansinh alias Sunnybhai Chavala, Jasbirsingh Chawla, Parveensingh Takrana, Rajpalsingh Juneja, Aloksingh Barnala, Nanaksingh Barnala, and Gurucharansingh Barnala, all from Umrarti village in Barwani district, Madhya Pradesh.
The Pune police plan to invoke the MCOCA against all the accused.
The operation led to the seizure of five weapons, five magazines, over 100 raw barrels, five finished barrels, 15 pistol bodies, 14 grinding machines, two live rounds, four empty cartridges, five choppers, and six sawing tools. Police said five illegal factories were dismantled.
On Sunday, Kumar announced a ₹10,000 cash reward for police personnel who participated in the operation and stated that Pune police are prepared to conduct further operations to dismantle illegal firearms manufacturing networks operating from Madhya Pradesh.
Kumar said the case now falls under BNS Section 111 (organised crime) and that the arrested men are linked to previous MCOCA and other serious offences in Pune.
DCP Somay Munde, who led the operation, emphasised the importance of secrecy. The team avoided conventional routes, carried all necessary supplies, and entered Madhya Pradesh without halts to prevent information leaks. The raid ran from 4 am to noon on Saturday.
