Anti-gangster team busts arms smugglers’ gang, 3 arrested

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 6

Acting on a tip-off, the anti-gangster force of the city police today busted an interstate gang of weapon smugglers, including a jail inmate and confiscated three country-made pistols and two live bullets from their possession.

Those arrested in connection with the case have been identified as jail inmate Mukesh Kumar of Haizpur in Bihar, and Sukhchain Singh and Jobanjit Singh, both residents of Majitha. Mukesh had been languishing in the Amritsar Central Jail. He was brought on a production warrant and arrested. Sukhchian Singh came in contact with him in prison when they planned to smuggle country-made weapons to Punjab after coming out on bail.

Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (Investigation), said Sukhchain was arrested by the police and was in jail in connection with a case registered with the Majitha police station under the Arms Act in November 2022. He came out on bail in December 2022.

He said the duo and Jobanjit Singh had planned to smuggle country-made weapons from Bihar to Punjab. Mukesh asked them to go Bihar and meet his accomplice for procuring weapons.

During the investigation, it was found that the accused had been involved in throwing prohibited material, including mobiles, inside jail. Mukesh was operating the network from inside the jail complex with phone.

Amolakdeep Singh, the in-charge of the anti-gangster staff said the police have seized two .32 bore pistols from Sukhchain and a pistol from Jobanjit Singh.

Mukesh had been in prison over kidnapping and murder. Besides, he also has around seven other cases registered against him over extortion and under the Arms Act. Sukhchain and Jobanjit had four and two criminal cases registered against them, respectively.

The accused were produced in the court and brought on two-day police remand. Further investigation is under way.