Punjab: Arms smuggling module linked to Pak-based handler busted; 6 held

Chandigarh: The Punjab Police on Monday claimed it has dismantled a cross-border arms smuggling module with links to a Pakistan-based handler and apprehended six persons, including a juvenile.

Police recovered six firearms -- five .30 bore pistols, and one 9mm PX5 pistol -- from the accused, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said.

The accused have been identified as Gurbir Singh alias Sonu, resident of Kotli Vasava Singh village in Tarn Taran; Gurpreet Singh alias Gopa, Gorka Singh alias Gora, and Rajwinder Singh alias Raju -- all residents of Khem Karan in Tarn Taran; Jaspal Singh alias Jass, resident of Bachiwind in Amritsar, and a 16-year-old resident of Sultanpur Lodhi.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were in direct contact with a Pakistan-based handler through social media platforms, who shared coordinates to retrieve and further supply weapon consignments.

The organised gang had been supplying these weapon consignments to criminals operating in the Majha and Doaba regions of the state to carry out nefarious activities, he said.

The DGP said further investigation is in progress to establish the network's backward and forward linkages, and identify receivers and financial channels in the case.

Sharing operational details, Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the first breakthrough came when a police team, in an intelligence-led operation, arrested suspects Gurbir and Gurpreet and recovered two .30 bore pistols.

Interrogation of the suspects revealed the entire network, he said, adding that follow-up raids led to the arrest of their associates Gorka with a .30 bore pistol, Jaspal with a .30 bore pistol, and Rajwinder with a 9MM PX5 pistol.

A juvenile associate was also detained with a .30 bore pistol, he added.

The commissioner said Gorka and Rajwinder have previous criminal cases registered against them, including Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act violations and charges related to rape and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Two accomplices from Kapurthala district have been identified as receivers of the illegal weapons, he said, adding that raids are being conducted to nab them.

An FIR under the Arms Act has been registered at Cantonment police station in Amritsar.