The Thane City Police Crime Branch has launched an extensive operation ahead of the 2024 General Assembly Elections, leading to the seizure of 15 illegal firearms, 28 live rounds, and the dismantling of 18 unlawful country liquor distilleries, known locally as Hathbhatti.
DCP (Crime) Shivraj Patil explained that these measures were taken following directives from the Thane City Police Commissioner to ensure peace and security during the election period. The Crime Branch targeted illegal weapons possession, distribution, and unauthorized liquor production through a series of coordinated actions.
Patil detailed the results across various units: Unit 1 secured 5 country-made pistols and 4 live rounds worth Rs 1.85 lakh; Unit 2 (Bhiwandi) confiscated 2 illegal pistols and 2 live rounds valued at Rs 1.7 lakh; Unit 5 (Wagle Estate) seized 1 country-made pistol and 7 live rounds worth Rs 1.2 lakh; Unit 3 (Kalyan) obtained 3 illegal pistols and 7 live rounds worth Rs 75,000; Unit 4 (Ulhasnagar) recovered 2 country-made pistols and 4 live rounds valued at Rs 51,500. The Anti-Extortion Cell retrieved 2 pistols and 1 live round valued at Rs 50,000, and the Central Crime Detection Unit seized 1 pistol and 4 live rounds worth Rs 60,900.
In total, 15 country-made pistols and 28 live rounds were confiscated, valued at approximately Rs 7 lakh, ACP Shekhar Bagde told TOI. Furthermore, 18 illegal distilleries were dismantled across Thane, and authorities destroyed 49,788 litres of wash and country liquor, estimated at Rs 25.3 lakh. The Crime Branch also carried out 131 raids against the sale of illegal liquor, seizing 5,352 litres of country and foreign liquor valued at Rs 9 lakh. Several individuals were arrested during these operations, with suspects traced to Uttar Pradesh and various parts of Thane district.
