Bhubaneswar is facing renewed public-safety concerns after two fatal shootings last week highlighted the use of illegally procured firearms in residential areas, while police said they had seized 45 illegal weapons and arrested 60 people in the city over the past year.
The two incidents occurred within two days of each other. In Sisupalgarh, a youth was allegedly shot dead during a celebratory gathering after an illegally procured pistol went off during reckless firing. Two days later, a young man was shot dead at point-blank range in the Laxmisagar area. Police suspect the second killing was connected to gang rivalry.
The back-to-back incidents have increased anxiety among residents who fear that firearms are becoming more accessible to criminal groups in the state capital. Prasanta Kumar Hota, a Laxmisagar resident, said residents were worried about safety in residential localities and that firearm-related incidents appeared to be occurring more frequently.
Police said their Special Crime Unit, special squad and local police stations had intensified operations against firearm suppliers, peddlers and other sources. A senior police officer said the seizures were aimed at disrupting the supply chains that place weapons in the hands of criminal groups.
According to police data cited in the report, 45 illegal firearms were seized and 60 people arrested in Bhubaneswar during the past year. Many of the weapons were country-made pistols, which police said could have been used in robberies, extortion attempts and gang clashes.
The police officer said the seized firearms could otherwise have reached criminal groups and been used in serious offences. Police maintained that continuing operations against arms networks had disrupted several supply chains and helped prevent potential crimes.
The reported seizures point to an enforcement challenge that extends beyond individual incidents. Police said illegal firearms are often smuggled into Odisha from neighbouring states through organised networks, making interstate monitoring a key part of the response. The department said it was keeping watch on routes used for arms trafficking.
The shootings have also renewed questions about intelligence gathering and surveillance of criminal gangs in a growing capital city. R N Swain, a retired deputy superintendent of police, called for stronger intelligence operations, tighter surveillance and sustained action against illegal arms suppliers before gun violence gains a deeper foothold in Bhubaneswar.
Police have appealed to residents to report suspicious activity or information related to illegal weapons. The senior officer said the identities of informers would be kept confidential. The department’s stated response is to continue coordinated action by specialised units and police stations against suppliers, peddlers and trafficking routes.
