A recent spike in armed confrontations between police and criminals across the state has brought to fore a worrying trend of easy access of firearms for anti-social elements. In all those cases involving non-fatal exchanges of fire reported over the past few months, the criminals had opened fire on cops, resulting in retaliation.
“We are facing significant challenges due to the increasing use of illegal firearms by criminals. All those encounters happened only after criminals resisted our action and fired at us,” a senior police officer said.

Over the last four months, state police have seized more than 70 unlicensed guns across various districts. Some of these were used in attacks on police personnel.
“We are trying to find out the source and suppliers of the illegal weapons. In the past, criminals used to brandish toy guns. These days they get it from Bihar and Bengal,” the officer added.
The alarming trend of firearm seizures has prompted the police to intensify their crackdown on illegal arms traders and criminal networks across the state. Many of the seized arms are either locally manufactured or smuggled in from neighbouring states like Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal.
Police say these weapons are mostly used for extortion, robbery and gang violence. Hotspots such as Khurda, Cuttack, Kendrapada and Ganjam have reported multiple seizures in recent weeks.
The danger isn’t just to civilians, law enforcement is under fire too. There have been several cases of criminals attacking police teams during raids or other enforcement drives.
Last month, the Special Task Force (STF) of the crime branch busted an illegal arms manufacturing unit at Bada Dhuleswar village in Cuttack and arrested four interstate criminals from Bihar’s Munger — known as a major hub for illegal firearms.
Huge quantities of manufacturing materials of 7 mm pistol including 29 gun parts with barrels, 14 slides, 36 grips, 15 barrels, 14 iron bars, a lathe machine with motor, a milling machine with motor and a drilling machine with motor were seized.
Regular raids and surveillance operations are underway. Intelligence input reveals that makeshift workshops in remote areas are being used to fabricate weapons, later supplied to crime networks.
Law enforcement officers have expressed concern over the increasing sophistication of these illegal weapons. “While earlier, most seized firearms were crude country-made pistols, recent seizures have included semi-automatic pistols and revolvers of better quality,” a senior police officer said.
DIG (STF) Pinak Mishra said the force has boosted its intelligence network and formed special teams to track arms suppliers. “Regular coordination meetings with police forces of neighbouring states are being held to share information and conduct joint operations against interstate arms trafficking networks,” Mishra said.
Police stations across the state have been directed to step up vigilance, especially near border areas which often act as transit points. Awareness drives are being held in vulnerable regions, and cash rewards are being offered to informants providing credible leads, with identities kept confidential.
Community policing has also been strengthened to gather grassroots intelligence about criminal activities involving firearms.
“Most of the firearms found here were being smuggled from Munger in Bihar. Besides, many illegal firearms manufacturing units have mushroomed in some parts of the state. Interstate police coordination is necessary to curb the smuggling rackets,” senior advocate Ansuman Mohanty said.
Police officers cite lack of interstate cooperation and excessive workload as hurdles in tackling the problem at its root. “We are so overburdened in solving cases that we cannot travel to other states, nor camp in those states for longer periods,” rued an inspector.
The state govt has acknowledged the gravity of the situation and assured additional resources to the police force. Steps are being taken to modernize police weaponry and enhance training to deal with armed criminals.