Continuing their crackdown against arms and drugs smuggling, the Amritsar Rural Police arrested four men in two separate operations, leading to the recovery of 15 kg opium, one sophisticated M16 rifle, nine pistols and 25 live cartridges.
In the first operation, personnel from the Gharinda police station arrested Malkit Singh, alias Meeta, 32, a resident of Manj in Amritsar and his brother-in-law Gurjit Singh, 32, a resident of Sarangra in Amritsar.
In the second operation, the special cell arrested Amritpal Singh, 26 and Satnam Singh, 29, both residents of Kakkar Kalan village in Amritsar.
Police teams also impounded their HF-Deluxe motorcycle, which they were using for criminal activities.
Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigation had revealed that the accused were linked to foreign-based smugglers and were involved in procuring illegal weapons.
Border Range inspector general of police (IGP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said Malkit and Gurjit were caught with 15 kg opium and a modified US-made M-16 rifle.
He said they owned around 15 acres of agricultural land adjoining the Indo-Pak border, which they were using to receive consignments from across the border.
{{/usCountry}}He said they owned around 15 acres of agricultural land adjoining the Indo-Pak border, which they were using to receive consignments from across the border.
{{/usCountry}}In the second operation, Amritpal and Satnam were nabbed with five foreign pistols near Dana Mandi in Lopoke, while another four pistols were recovered upon subsequent questioning, taking the total recovery to nine pistols and 25 live cartridges.
Amritsar Rural senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal said the recovered nine pistols included two Zigana, six .30-bore and one .32-bore pistols. Amritpal was already facing a previous NDPS Act case registered at the Chheharta police station, he said.
The SSP said one of their associates had also been identified and police teams were on a manhunt to arrest the absconder.
In this regard, two separate cases have been registered—under Sections 18-C and 29 of the NDPS Act and Section 25 (8) of the Arms Act at the Gharinda police station, and under Section 25 (8) of the Arms Act and Section 61 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Lopoke police station.