Illegal gun factory busted in Navsari, three held

SURAT: Navsari special operations group (SOG) for the first time busted a weapon manufacturing unit in the state being run by a carpenter from his house in Charanwada village of Vansada taluka in Navsari district on Saturday. Three persons were arrested for manufacturing and purchasing the weapons which were mostly used for hunting wild animals and birds.Police did not rule out the possibility of their being used to attack or threaten people. One of the accused was arrested nine years ago in Nashik under the Arms Act, police said.
Police recovered one country-made 12 bore shotgun, eight country-made muzzleloader guns, 286 led bearings, gun powder, plastic caps and 12 tools used for manufacturing the weapons, which were worth Rs 44,230. Each weapon was sold for Rs 4,000 or above.
The three arrested were Amrat Ramu Garasiya (63), Mahesh Gavit (40) and Ravji Sonu Fadwala (40). Garasiya was carpenter by profession and resident of Charanwada from whom Gavit. Fadwala, who lived in Hanuman Faliya in Vansada, used to buy the weapons. Police were shocked to find a small arms manufacturing unit at Garasiya's house when they raided it following a tip-off.
Police were informed about a person in Hanuman Faliya having a gun. They nabbed Gavit, a farmer, after recovering from his house a muzzleloader gun and 37 led bearings. The police then raided Fadwala's house and recovered from his house a muzzleloader gun and 46 led bearings.
Gavit and Fadwala told police that they had purchased the guns from Garasiya, leading to a police raid at Charanwada village. "It is a complete weapon making unit with everything being manufactured in-house by the accused. He purchased pipes, wood pieces and raw led and turned them into a weapon," said N P Gohil, police inspector, SOG.
"Garasiya was arrested by Nasik police nine years ago under the Arms Act. He is into manufacturing of guns used for hunting since long. Our investigations are on," said V J Jadeja, deputy superintendent of police, Navsari.