Tip-off leads to raid

Rewa’s Saman police carried out a late evening operation on Tuesday, arresting two individuals allegedly involved in illegal arms trafficking. The arrests were made near Bansagar Talaiya, a relatively secluded spot on the outskirts of the city. Acting on specific intelligence, a team laid a brief cordon and intercepted the suspects, who were reportedly waiting for potential customers.

Yellow bag, quick chase

According to officials, the two men were standing near the water body, holding a distinct yellow bag. When the police party approached, they attempted to flee. “Our team gave them a short chase before apprehending them near some roadside shrubs,” a local police source said. Upon searching the yellow bag, the police recovered four firearms: two country-made pistols (12 bore, commonly known as desi katta) and two country-made revolvers.

Rented accommodation under scanner

The accused have been identified as Sameer Khan (26), a resident of the Bichiya area, and Ritesh Dubey alias Lucky (25), originally from Mangawan police station limits. Preliminary interrogation revealed that both were currently living together in a rented house in Bichiya. They were unable to produce any valid documentation or licence for the weapons. Police have registered a case against them under Section 25(1)(A) of the Arms Act.

Why this matters

The recovery of four firearms from a single spot has raised concerns about the easy availability of cheap, illegal weapons in the region. While Rewa is not traditionally a major hub for arms smuggling compared to districts like Satna or Khargone, police say such seizures often spike ahead of local festivals or civic elections. The fact that the men were openly waiting with a stockpile suggests a ready local market.

Source and buyer network probed

Nagar Police Superintendent Rajeev Pathak is personally monitoring the investigation, officials said. While the arrests were swift, the bigger challenge now is to dismantle the supply chain. Police are interrogating the duo to ascertain where the consignment originated—possibly from the Bihar or Uttar Pradesh belt—and who the intended recipients were. Investigators are also scanning their call records to identify potential customers.

What’s next

At this stage, the police have not ruled out the possibility of more arrests. “We are looking into whether they were part of a larger network that supplies weapons to criminals in the district,” an officer involved in the probe said. The two accused were produced before a local court, which remanded them to police custody for further interrogation. A court-ordered parade is also likely to verify if the weapons had been used in any unsolved crime.

Operation Nishchay Nets 46 Wanted Criminals Across Raipur Range

Chhattisgarh Police Deploy 95 Teams in Five Districts, Seize Drugs, Liquor, and Weapons in Sweeping Two-Day Crackdown

In one of the most coordinated law enforcement drives in recent months, the Raipur Range Police executed a sweeping two-day crackdown under Operation Nishchay, targeting criminal networks across five districts of Chhattisgarh. The joint operation, conducted on April 4 and 5, mobilised 95 teams simultaneously across Balodabazar-Bhatapara, Gariaband, Dhamtari, Mahasamund, and Raipur Rural districts.

Scale of the Operation

A total of 384 raids, searches, and checkpost operations were carried out over the 48-hour window. The sheer scale of the deployment signals the Raipur Range's intent to dismantle entrenched criminal activity in both urban fringes and rural belts. According to police officials, the operation was planned with prior intelligence inputs and coordinated at the range headquarters level.

Liquor and Drugs Seized

The drive yielded significant recoveries on the narcotics and liquor front. Under the Excise Act, 126 cases were registered and an equal number of accused were taken into custody. Seized liquor stocks amounted to 802.436 litres of country and foreign liquor, along with 597 quarter bottles.

On the narcotics front, 22 NDPS Act cases were filed, with police recovering 21.945 kilograms of contraband substances and 60 tablets suspected to be psychotropic drugs. Ganja formed a bulk of the seized narcotic material, as per reports from district units.

Weapons Recovered, Warrants Served

Six cases were registered under the Arms Act, with police seizing two pistols during the course of the operation. The recovery of firearms from civilians in rural districts has been flagged as a priority concern in the range's anti-crime strategy.

Parallel to the seizures, a dedicated warrant execution drive was run alongside the raids. Teams served a combined 46 warrants — comprising 31 arrest warrants, 14 permanent warrants, and 1 bailable warrant — leading to the apprehension of 46 wanted individuals who had been evading the law.

District-Wise Breakdown

Each district contributed significantly to the overall tally:

• Balodabazar-Bhatapara — 13 NDPS cases filed; 5.6 kg of narcotics seized

• Gariaband — 119 raids conducted; 158 litres of liquor recovered

• Dhamtari — 150 locations covered; 3.9 kg of contraband seized

• Mahasamund — 10.5 kg of drugs and 357 litres of liquor recovered

• Raipur Rural — 1.8 kg of ganja and 597 quarter bottles seized

Additionally, 174 actions were taken under various preventive and prohibitory sections.

Gambling Rackets Busted

Two cases were also registered under the Gambling Act, with seven accused arrested and cash amounting to ₹6,230 seized from illegal betting and gambling dens. Four separate criminal cases were also pursued by respective district units as part of the broader operation.

Official Statement

Police officials confirmed that Operation Nishchay is not a one-time exercise. "The drive against anti-social elements, smugglers, and absconders will continue with equal intensity," a senior officer said, adding that maintaining law and order across the Raipur Range remains the department's foremost priority.

What Comes Next

Authorities indicated that further crackdowns are planned based on leads generated during this operation. With dozens of wanted persons now in custody and substantial contraband off the streets, investigators are expected to pursue leads that could unravel larger supply chains behind drug trafficking in the region. The operation is being seen as a template for future range-level coordinated drives across Chhattisgarh.