Baramati police seize country-made pistol, cartridges and car on eve of polls; one arrested

Baramati City police took major action on the eve of polling for the Pune division graduates' and teachers' constituencies. They seized a country-made pistol, three live cartridges and a Maruti Swift car, together worth Rs 2,26,200. Aditya Shelar, who lives in Amrai in Baramati, has been arrested. The action so close to polling has brought the issue of illegal arms possession in the city back into discussion.

At about 8 pm on October 22, Police Constable Akshay Sitaf of the Baramati City police station's investigation team received confidential information. It said Shelar was moving around the T. C. College area in a red Swift car carrying an illegal firearm. Police began moving immediately on receiving it.

A team led by Manisha Omase, officiating Deputy Superintendent of Police (probationer), traced the suspect car at about 8.30 pm. It was parked on the road in front of the Morya Palace building near Ground No. 8. When the vehicle was searched in the presence of two panch witnesses, a country-made pistol was found near the driver's seat, with one live cartridge in its magazine.

Police then searched Shelar. Two more live cartridges were found in the pocket of his jacket. The investigation also showed that he had no valid licence to keep a weapon.

Police seized the pistol, valued at Rs 25,000, three cartridges worth Rs 1,200, and the car, valued at Rs 2 lakh. A case has been registered at Baramati City police station under crime register number 473/2026, under Section 3 read with Section 25(1-B)(a) of the Arms Act, 1959.

In preliminary questioning, Shelar said he got the weapon from Mayur More, a resident of Medad, Baramati taluka, police said. Further investigation is under way into the original source of the weapon and how it was supplied illegally.

The action was taken under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill, Additional Superintendent of Police Ganesh Biradar and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Chaitanya Kadam. Police Inspector Shrishail Chivadshetty coordinated, and Police Havildars Kshirsagar and Abhijit Kamble, and Police Constables Kavitke and Akshay Sitaf took part. Police Havildar Dnyandev Vishnu Kshirsagar is carrying out the further investigation.