Vijayapura, Karnataka: In a significant crackdown on illegal weapons, police have apprehended nine individuals and seized nine country-made pistols along with 24 live cartridges.
Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi, addressing the media on Tuesday, stated that the investigation intensified after the murder of Satish Prem Singh Rathod on January 28. The accused, Ramesh Lamani, had fatally shot Rathod at Arikeri Tanda, under Vijayapura Rural police station limits. Six suspects were arrested and remanded to judicial custody, with another accused, Sagar alias Suresh Rathod, being nabbed on February 13.
During questioning, Sagar confessed to procuring firearms from Madhya Pradesh and supplying them to various individuals, including Ramesh Lamani. Police raids across multiple locations led to the recovery of the illicit weapons and the arrest of Prakash Rathod (Vijayapura), Ashok Pandre, Sujit Rathod, Sukhdev Rathod, Prakash Rathod (Sindagi Taluk), Ganesh Shivaram Shetty, Channappa Mallappa Naganur, Santosh Rathod, and Janardan Pawar.
The investigation further revealed that Sagar had been trafficking weapons for over five years, selling them for ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh each. His contacts in Madhya Pradesh were established while working as a truck driver, enabling him to source and distribute firearms.
Authorities are continuing their probe to uncover deeper links in the illegal arms trade.
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