5 held, illegal weapon seized

The police have arrested five men after intercepting a car and recovering an illegal firearm and cartridges at a naka near Dhilwan.

Cops said they had set up barricades when a white car bearing registration number Punjab 07 CE 3307 approached from the Amritsar side. Although signalled to stop, the driver allegedly attempted to speed away but was forced to halt after it collided with the barricades.

The vehicle was surrounded and its occupants were told to come out. They identified themselves as Salim of Bham village in Hoshiarpur; Sahil of Panchhata village in Kapurthala; Jaskaran Singh, alias Happy, of Bham; Gurvinder Singh, alias Guri, of Bham and Balraj Singh of Bham.

A search of the car led to the discovery of a country-made pistol, a magazine, and five cartridges of 7.62 mm caliber hidden beneath the gear lever cover inside a polythene packet. None of the men could produce a valid licence of the weapon. They were taken into custody.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Murat Singh, who supervised the naka, confirmed the recovery and said a case under the Arms Act has been registered. The police have begun investigations.