Nabbed Bihar youth ran arms racket, say police

An engineering student of the Central University of Jammu, arrested last month for running an illegal arms racket, had supplied at least 11 firearms to gangsters before being apprehended.

Acting on credible intelligence regarding the suspect, identified as Kaif Ahmed, a resident of Siwan in Bihar and a B.Tech student, the police arrested him on July 11. Investigations revealed that Ahmed was orchestrating the trafficking of illegal firearms, particularly pistols, from Bihar and selling them to local criminals in Jammu.

A police team from Vijaypur in Samba district made the arrest. During interrogation, Ahmed disclosed the location of a country-made pistol, which was subsequently recovered from his possession.

A case under Section 3/25 of the Arms Act has been registered at Vijaypur Police Station and further investigation is under way.

Police sources said the weapons supplied by the accused had been used in criminal activities, including shootouts in Jammu. “While it is certain that he sold pistols to Jammu-based gangsters, we are trying to trace his links with criminal networks in other states. We are also investigating whether he had local associates,” said a senior police source.

There are indications that some of the weapons may have reached as far as Punjab, police added.