Kolkata: The Kolkata Police STF arrested three individuals who were staying in a guest house on the busy AJC Bose Road in Beniapukur and seized two 9mm automatic pistols and 18 rounds of ammunition.
The arrests, coming shortly after another arms supplier's arrest at Sealdah two weeks ago, led the police to expose an organised gang running inter-state operations that extended up to the India-Bangladesh border, lodging themselves at various guest houses where deals got cracked. The police are investigating their possible terror links.
Two of the arrested accused hail from Gaya and have strong links with Munger. The third accused is a resident of Beniapukur and lives in the same neighbourhood where the NIA recently carried out a raid.
"A raid was conducted by STF with the assistance of Beniapukur police at the Vaishali Guest House on AJC Bose Road. We arrested two persons — Rahish Kumar (31), a resident of Tatehpur in Gaya, and Meeraj Malik (44) from the Civil Lines in Gaya," said Amit Kumar Shaw, DC (STF).
A third accused, their Kolkata connection, Mohammad Iliyas, initially managed to flee from the spot. However, the police tracked him down and arrested him on Beckbagan Road. "A case under the Arms Act is underway and further investigation is in progress," said Shaw.
The STF probe established that in Kolkata, ‘Mungeri Dana' or ammunition is now available for just Rs 250. If bought in larger quantities, each ‘Mungeri Dana' is being sold for Rs 150 by the arms smuggling network from Munger. Recent investigations into the 90 bullets recovered from Kolkata revealed this startling information.