The Rohtak team of the Haryana Police Special Task Force (STF) recovered 25,000 live cartridges from Rohad in Jhajjar district on Tuesday and arrested five accused, an official spokesperson said.
Besides the cartridges, eight mobile phones were also recovered from the possession of the arrested accused. Preliminary investigations indicate that the links of the case extend across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana.
Police spokesperson said on the morning of November 3, and acting on information received from Bihar STF, the Rohtak STF team searched two vehicles, a Tata Harrier and a Hyundai Aura, parked along the roadside in front of Triveni Dhaba at Rohad in Jhajjar district.
During the search, 24,400 live cartridges of KF 7.65 and BMM KF bore were recovered from the Tata Harrier, in which three persons were travelling. Meanwhile, 600 live cartridges bearing the marking BMM KF were recovered from the Hyundai Aura, which was occupied by two persons. Thus, a total of 25,000 live cartridges were recovered from both vehicles.
The arrested accused have been identified as Afifuddin, alias Munna Khan (49), Aasim Rais (33), Sablou Khan (32), Arbaz Ali (27) and Zeenat (33), all residents of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh. The police have taken both vehicles, the recovered cartridges and eight mobile phones into possession.
{{/usCountry}}The arrested accused have been identified as Afifuddin, alias Munna Khan (49), Aasim Rais (33), Sablou Khan (32), Arbaz Ali (27) and Zeenat (33), all residents of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh. The police have taken both vehicles, the recovered cartridges and eight mobile phones into possession.
{{/usCountry}}“The accused failed to produce any valid licence or documents regarding the cartridges,” the spokesperson said, adding that FIR has been registered at Assaudha police station, Jhajjar district, under Sections 25(1-B)(a) and 25(8) of the Arms Act.
The police said that a day earlier, Bihar Police STF had busted a similar case in Bhojpur district, arresting a person named Laltu along with his associates and recovering approximately 20,000 cartridges from their possession. During interrogation, it emerged that Laltu was in close contact with Afifuddin, alias Munna Khan and had procured cartridges from him. Acting on this crucial input received from Bihar STF, the Haryana STF swiftly launched an operation in Rohad, Jhajjar, and successfully recovered the huge consignment of cartridges.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that Afifuddin operates Badaun Gun House in the Civil Lines police station area of Badaun. It has also emerged that Munna Khan had visited Sirsa, where he allegedly procured this large consignment of cartridges from a local resident, Vijay Goyal. Vijay Goyal is reportedly the owner of Mahak Gun House in Sirsa.
The spokesperson said the Haryana STF, in coordination with Bihar STF and Uttar Pradesh Police, is conducting an in-depth investigation to trace the actual source of the cartridges, their supply chain and distribution network.