Aurangabad: The Aurangabad rural police early on Saturday morning nabbed a 36-year old farmer for the possession of a country-made firearm and a live round.The arrested accused has been identified as Harishchandra Solunke. He was produced before the court by the Chikalthana police, following which he has been remanded to police custody. Police said that the man was rounded up during night-long all out combing operation.Superintendent of police Mokshada Patil said, “We are working towards establishing the source of the firearm, when it was purchased and if at all it has been used in committing any crime or used even otherwise.”The officer expressed her surprise over the fact that when the farmers have an option of easily getting a firearm for protecting their crops, there appears to be no valid reason for getting an illegal firearm instead.The arrested accused, during the preliminary probe, claimed of purchasing the firearm for around Rs 35,000.Assistant inspector Satyajit Taitwale said that the firearm appeared to be a country-made pistol and is being sent to the lab for ballistic analysis, following which it would come to the fore if the weapon has been used or not.Authorities said that since the model code of conduct came into force, as many as five offences under relevant sections of the Arms Act have been registered and six persons have been arrested, from whom several sharp-edged weapons have been seized.The authorities informed that in the three combing operations, 3,344 vehicles have been checked, out of which 142 have faced action. Pending 70 non-bailable warrants have been slapped, while preventive action has been initiated against 1,431 suspects with previous criminal record and action under Maharashtra Police Act has been initiated against several suspects.

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