DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

In a major blow to arms smuggling networks amidst the ongoing drive to make the state safe and secure, Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar apprehended two people when they were waiting for another operative to hand over the weapon consignment smuggled from Pakistan, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

Those arrested have been identified as Jagjit Singh, alias Nikku, and Gurwinder Singh, alias Gandhi -- both residents of Kaulowal village in Amritsar. Police teams have also recovered a consignment of eight sophisticated pistols, including four Glock pistols (Austria-made), two Turkey 9mm pistols and two X-Shot Zigana .30 bore pistols, along with 10 cartridges from their possession.

DGP Yadav said that in an intelligence-led operation, teams from CI Amritsar got to know that some people have indulged in the smuggling of heavy consignments of weapons from Pakistan into India.

Acting swiftly, police teams laid a trap and arrested accused Jagjit, alias Nikku, and Gurwinder, alias Gandhi, from Nurpur Padhri near Gharinda in Amritsar when they were waiting for someone to deliver the consignment, he said.

The DGP said that CI Amritsar has also identified the main kingpin of this module and several teams have been constituted to apprehend him.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the kingpin of this module was is in contact with Pakistan-based weapon smugglers via encrypted apps, he said, while adding that further investigations are on to establish backward and forward linkages.

A case was registered under Section 25 of the Arms Act and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Police Station State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) in Amritsar. The accused will be presented before the local court to seek police remand.

(editor@dailyworld.in)