Himalaya Harbinger, Uttarakhand Bureau.
In a major crackdown on illegal arms trafficking, the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF), in a joint operation with Rudrapur police, arrested a 24-year-old inter-state smuggler and seized eight illegal semi-automatic pistols along with magazines on the night of July 23 in Udham Singh Nagar district.
The accused, identified as Khajan Singh, a resident of Bagwala under Rudrapur police station limits, was apprehended with five .32 bore and three .30 bore pistols. According to officials, the arrest has exposed a vast arms smuggling network operating from Madhya Pradesh to Uttarakhand.
Senior Superintendent of Police, STF, Navneet Singh Bhullar, said that intelligence inputs had suggested that illegal firearms might be smuggled from other states in the run-up to the panchayat elections. “Specific instructions were given to STF teams to keep a close watch on habitual offenders and monitor suspicious activities. Our team intercepted the accused while he was transporting the consignment,” said Bhullar.
Interrogation of Khajan Singh revealed that he had previously served jail time for robbery and arms trafficking. He confessed to sourcing weapons from a notorious arms dealer named Sartaj, based in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh. Singh, along with his associates, had earlier supplied similar firearms in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
This latest seizure is part of STF’s ongoing campaign against illegal arms trade in the state. In July alone, three separate cases have led to the recovery of 15 pistols and live cartridges, and the arrest of four accused.
“We are committed to ensuring peaceful panchayat elections. The drive against gangsters and illegal arms will continue with full intensity,” said Director General of Uttarakhand Police, Deepam Seth.
Further investigation is underway, and STF teams are tracking down four more members of the racket based on information provided by the arrested accused.
