Two arms smuggling rackets busted, 9 held

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 4

The state special operation cell (the counter intelligence wing of Punjab Police) busted two interstate arms smuggling rackets with the arrest of nine persons in the past fortnight. It also recovered 10 pistols and 42 live bullets from their possession.

The arrests were made in the past fortnight. Those arrested were identified as Rajvir Singh, alias Raju of Malian Pakkian village in Gurdaspur, Ravideep Singh and Pawandeep Singh of Bhagowal in Batala, Gurikbalmeet Singh, alias Robin of Hansawala village in Tarn Taran, Jagmeet Singh of Pabbarali in Dera Baba Nanak, Hira Singh of Kalle in Batala, Gagandeep Singh of Goindwal Sahib and Gurpreet Singh of Gopi of Sri Hargobindpur in Batala. The police also confiscated seven weapons from them.

During their interrogation, the SSOC arrested Manpreet Singh of Sangrur from whom it recovered three weapons. An official of the cell revealed that it had got a tip-off that Gagandeep Singh and his associates were planning to commit some crime following which a case under Section 25 of the Arms Act was registered against them.

Their arrest further revealed that they were allegedly part of an interstate gang of smuggling illegal weapon. The main supplier was identified as Rahul, a resident of Indore in Madhya Pradesh. The police are further investigating to know his whereabouts.

During their investigation, the cell stumbled upon another module that used to procure weapons from Burhanpur (Madhya Pradesh). The accused who used to run the racket were identified as Komalpreet Singh of Lohar village in Tarn Taran and Manpreet Singh of Saron in Sangrur. While Manpreet was nabbed with three weapons, raids were on to arrest Komalpreet.

Investigation was being carried out from different angles to expose the entire nexus. Officials said the information was also being shared with the MP Police in this connection.

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