The breakthrough came on January 30, when Civil Lines police conducted raids at the residences of five listed surveillance offenders in Jarhabhata. During the operation, police arrested Swaraj Kurre (20), a local criminal, and recovered one pistol, two magazines, live cartridges, and 1,100 intoxicating tablets from his possession.
During interrogation, Swaraj disclosed that he had procured the weapon from Bhopal-based supplier Dhirendra Singh Tomar (37). Acting swiftly, a police team travelled to Bhopal on January 31 and searched Tomar’s residence. The search yielded additional pistols, magazines, and live ammunition concealed in an almirah and under a bed. Tomar reportedly told investigators that he had sold at least five pistols to Swaraj.
Further questioning revealed that the weapons were sourced from an illegal manufacturing unit operating deep inside the forests of Barwani district. Police teams subsequently moved to Barwani but found that the alleged kingpin had already gone underground. Officers said the suspects communicated exclusively through WhatsApp calls, limiting the availability of technical evidence and delaying real-time tracking.
Police sources said the illegal unit was located nearly 20 kilometres inside dense forest terrain, where small pistols were being manufactured. Although the site was identified, no accused were present at the time of the raid. Local residents were questioned and sketches of the suspected kingpin were circulated, but no arrest could be made.
Barwani has long been flagged by law enforcement agencies as a hub for illegal automatic and semi-automatic weapon manufacturing. Weapons produced in the region are reportedly supplied to multiple states, including Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh. Officials said proximity to the Maharashtra border makes the area particularly vulnerable to arms trafficking.
Senior police officials noted that Madhya Pradesh Police had earlier arrested more than 15 people involved in similar illegal arms operations in Barwani’s forest belt. While several units were shut down following those arrests, investigators believe some networks remain active, operating covertly to evade detection.
Bilaspur police said coordinated efforts are underway with Madhya Pradesh Police to trace the absconding kingpin and dismantle the remaining supply chain. “This operation has exposed a wider network. Further arrests are expected as the investigation progresses,” an officer said.
The case has highlighted how small local leads can unravel larger organised crime networks, reinforcing the need for sustained inter-state coordination in tackling illegal arms trafficking.
