With this, the number of pistols recovered so far in connection with the alleged terror plot has gone up to 16.
The Maharashtra police on Monday claimed to have recovered 5 more country-made pistols and a large quantity of ammunition besides other material in the probe following the arrest of three men, including one belonging to a right-wing group, on terror charges.
Earlier, 11 country-made pistols with magazines, an airgun, 10 pistol barrels, 6 pistol magazines, 6 partially- made pistol bodies, three partially-made magazines and several parts of firearms were recovered, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police had said on Saturday last.
With this, the number of pistols recovered so far in connection with the alleged terror plot has gone up to 16.
The ATS had on August 10 arrested 40-year-old Vaibhav Raut, who ran 'Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti', a little- known pro-cow protection outfit, in Nallasopara area.
After Raut's arrested, the ATS had nabbed Sharad Kalaskar (25) and Sudhanwa Gondhalekar (39) in the raids in Palghar and Pune districts, the police had said.
The ATS had claimed to have recovered 20 crude bombs, two gelatin sticks, 4 electronic and 22 non-electronic detonators, 150 gm explosive powder and some other material, which according to the police, was to be used in carrying out blasts at various places in the state.
ATS, in a statement issued today, said that on the basis of the interrogation of the accused, 5 country-made pistols, 41 cartridges and scores of loose part of firearms from Nalasopara area.
Among other items seized were a laptop, six hard disks, five pen drives, nine mobile phones, several sim cards and other documents and material were seized from Pune, it said.
Two days back, the ATS had claimed to have recovered material used to make bombs, a chopper, six number plates of vehicles, CDs, pen drives, hard discs and handbooks and other literature on bomb-making.
The ATS has questioned 16 people from Nallasopara, Pune, Satara, Solapur and elsewhere in the state for suspected links to the three men, police had said.
Sleuths are probing if they were going to carry out any terrorist act ahead of the Independence Day or Eid festival next week, an ATS official had said.
The ATS also had said that while going through their mobile phone records and SIM card activities, it realised that some SIM cards were being used by multiple people.
ATS chief Atulchandra Kulkarni had said they would probe if the arrested men had any connection with the killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare and journalist Gauri Lankesh.
The accused are in the ATS custody till Aug 18.
The ATS has booked the three under IPC section 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), provisions of the Explosives Act as well as under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) sections 16 (punishment for terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy for terrorist act) and 20 (being a member of terrorist gang.)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Picture for representation")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}