UP Man Held For Making Illegal Weapons; Arms Factory Busted In Malihabad, Accused Linked To PoK Suspects

Lucknow: A startling development has emerged in the case of the illegal arms factory recently busted in Malihabad, on the outskirts of Lucknow. Investigations have revealed that the accused, identified as Hakeem Salauddin alias Lala, was not only manufacturing weapons at home but allegedly involved in smuggling them as far as Kashmir.

Even more alarmingly, his call detail records reportedly show contact with suspects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), prompting the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) to initiate a parallel probe.

According to ADCP Jitendra Dubey, Salauddin confessed during interrogation that he was manufacturing illegal weapons in his house. He had hidden the weapons in the compound of an adjacent abandoned cinema hall.

Police seized a significant cache from his premises: three pistols, one revolver, two country-made pistols, a rifle, seven air guns, 118 live cartridges, 41 shells, six daggers, two knives, nine axes and cleavers, along with tools used for making firearms. Wildlife officials were also alerted after a deer hide was found on the premises.

Two FIRs have been registered—one under the Arms Act and the other under the Wildlife Protection Act. Questions have been raised about the functioning of Malihabad police, as the illegal factory was operating just 100 meters from the police station.

Locals claim they often heard the sounds of drilling machines at night from Salauddin’s house but had no idea arms were being manufactured. Ironically, the suspect ran a small clinic, offering consultations for three hours daily except on Fridays. A board outside his shop advertised this schedule.

Alongside the police, central intelligence agencies have also joined the investigation. A laptop recovered from Salauddin’s home is being examined and is expected to contain critical data about his arms smuggling network. The police are exploring the possibility of his links with terror outfits. More clarity is expected after forensic analysis of his laptop and mobile phone.

Salauddin was arrested from his home, where he was with his family at the time. His wife is a schoolteacher.

Residents of the area told police that unknown individuals frequently visited Salauddin’s house, with some even staying for several days. Police suspect these were arms traffickers who bought weapons directly from the premises. The accused had partitioned part of his house into rented rooms to accommodate these visitors.

It has also come to light that Salauddin is related to Lallan Khan, a key accused in the notorious Malihabad triple murder case. He is an avid hunter and also runs a honey trading business.

Authorities are now probing Salauddin’s network and trying to identify his associates. The case has raised serious concerns about illegal arms manufacturing operating unchecked so close to the state capital and its potential links to cross-border threats.

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