MEERUT: A Special Operations Group (SOG) team and Lisadi Gate police have busted an illegal gun manufacturing that has been functioning for the past five years from a residence in the Ashiana Colony here.

The police have seized a large number of pistols, weapons, and firearms-making equipment. During the operation, six persons were apprehended, while five others managed to flee the scene. The raid was part of a statewide crackdown on illegal firearms manufacturing plants ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections, according to police.

"The factory has been running at the house for the past five years, while the house owners were supplying illegal firearms of various bores, ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 for a gun, to criminals in nearby districts to influence the outcome of the upcoming Assembly elections," Meerut Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prabhakar Chaudhary said. The apprehended suspects were named as Ayub, Amir, Anas Mohammad, Irshad, Haseen a.k.a Bhura, and Amir, according to the SSP. The house owner, Rashid, as well as Shahzad, Israr, Shahid Ali, and Isaf Ali, fled the scene.

According to the SSP, the factory was raided and 35 different types of weapons and equipment were recovered. He claimed that all of the defendants were wanted in multiple criminal cases.

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