Agartala, November 4: In a major operation, West Agartala Police seized three sophisticated pistols, six magazines and 50 rounds of live ammunition near Bhutia Market in Battala, Agartala, on Wednesday evening. Two persons have reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident.
According to police sources, the operation was carried out following credible intelligence that a group of illegal arms smugglers was travelling from Bihar to Agartala by train with firearms. The information suggested that the weapons were to be handed over to another party at a location near Bhutia Market in Battala.
Acting on the intelligence, a special team comprising officers from West Agartala Police Station, Battala TOP and other personnel was formed under the leadership of senior police officials. The team, operating in civil dress, tracked the suspects using intelligence inputs and technological assistance.
When the suspects arrived near the identified location, police personnel surrounded them from all sides. According to the SDPO, the individuals initially attempted to flee after sensing the presence of police but were intercepted and detained.
An Executive Magistrate was subsequently called to the spot, along with two independent witnesses. A search was conducted in their presence, leading to the recovery of three sophisticated pistols marked ‘Made in Italy’, six magazines and 50 rounds of 7.65 mm ammunition from the possession of the two accused. Police also initiated the seizure of two mobile phones.
Speaking to the media, IPS officer Siddalingappa Pujari, a 2023-batch IPS officer, said police had received secret information about individuals bringing small firearms from Bihar to hand them over to another party in Agartala. He confirmed that the seized weapons were sophisticated firearms and stated that the matter was under investigation.
The SDPO said the accused were from outside Tripura but declined to disclose further details, citing the ongoing investigation. He added that police were examining both the forward and backward links of the suspected arms-smuggling network to identify the people involved in the racket.
Addressing questions about a possible connection with the upcoming elections, the SDPO clarified that the incident should not be linked to the election process at this stage. He stated that an active arms-smuggling network appeared to be operating in the region and that police were making every effort to dismantle the entire network.
Further investigation is underway to identify the source of the firearms, their intended recipients and the wider network involved in the illegal arms trade.
