Bhubaneswar: The recovery of a firearm from a student inside a government school under Kudangagiri police limits in Kendrapara district has triggered serious concern across Odisha, raising troubling questions about the growing accessibility of illegal weapons in the state.
Until recently, illegal firearms were largely associated with organised crime syndicates or Maoist groups and were used covertly. However, the Kendrapara incident indicates a disturbing shift—firearms are no longer confined to criminal hideouts but are increasingly finding their way into households and even educational institutions. Reports suggest that minor disputes are now escalating into armed confrontations, with gunfire incidents becoming more frequent and instilling fear among the public.
Security agencies suspect that interstate gun syndicates are actively supplying illegal firearms to Odisha, creating a situation alarmingly similar to gun proliferation seen in some northern states. Critics allege that while the police occasionally arrest small-time arms dealers, the larger networks behind the trade continue to operate with impunity.
Illegal firearms are reportedly available with ease, costing as little as ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 in the black market. With little deterrence, buyers are able to procure weapons without difficulty. This unchecked trade has allowed firearms to move from criminal arenas into schools, where even students are allegedly carrying guns to intimidate peers and teachers.
The issue has also drawn attention in the State Assembly. In response to a question on illegal arms trafficking, the Chief Minister informed the House that 716 illegal firearms were seized in 2023, while 572 were recovered in 2024. Estimates further indicate that 71 firearms were seized in the Twin City area (Bhubaneswar–Cuttack) in 2024, while more than 100 weapons have already been recovered there in 2025.
Traditionally, Maoist groups manufactured crude country-made firearms in dense forest regions. However, recent investigations reveal a more alarming trend: sophisticated, non-indigenous firearms are now being manufactured in coastal districts. Shockingly, some of these illegal arms factories have reportedly operated for years without detection by local police.
In one such case, an illegal arms manufacturing unit functioned for nearly a year in the 42 Mouza area of Cuttack district before being unearthed by the Special Task Force (STF), which seized a large cache of weapons. In recent days, the Commissionerate Police have been making frequent seizures, often recovering five or more firearms at a time, including highly lethal carbines.
The nature and scale of these recoveries underscore the gravity of the situation. Observers warn that the unchecked spread of firearms poses a direct threat to public safety and social stability, demanding urgent, coordinated action against the entire supply chain—from manufacturers and traffickers to end users—before the crisis spirals further out of control.
