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Ludhiana: Cops suspect cross-border link in Glock pistol recovery case
Police sources confirmed that Mattu, a dismissed tubewell operator with Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, has a criminal background and is facing trial in eight cases
Two days after a man was arrested and a Glock pistol was seized from his possession, the Ludhiana police suspect that the firearm was smuggled from across the border. The accused, identified as Mukul Mattu of Mohalla Fatehgarh, was arrested by the crime branch on Sunday. Two more persons have been named in the case. Apart from the pistol, cops also seized 17 live cartridges, 1.05-kg heroin, ₹2.50 lakh and a car. An FIR was registered at Moti Nagar police station.
Investigations revealed that Mattu managed to procure the Glock pistol from one Satish of Basti Jodhewal for ₹3 lakh, with the deal facilitated by Ashu, a murder convict lodged in Faridkot Jail. The accused also admitted to acquiring another weapon through Bikramjit Singh alias Chhinda, currently lodged in Ludhiana Central Jail.
Inspector Beant Juneja, incharge of the crime branch, said, “We strongly suspect the Glock pistol was smuggled from Pakistan. This is the second time in recent history such a weapon has been recovered from a gangster in the region, which makes it a matter of grave concern.”
Police sources confirmed that Mattu, a dismissed tubewell operator with Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, has a criminal background and is facing trial in eight cases. He was released on bail in July 2024. The gangster was also reportedly involved in threatening a trader at gunpoint to silence him over a drug peddling complaint.
The arrests have further exposed how jailed gangsters continue to run weapons and drug networks from behind bars. Both Ashu and Bikramjit Singh have now been booked for facilitating Mattu.
This recovery comes close on the heels of earlier seizures, including the 2023 arrest by Khanna police of a man allegedly linked to political circles, from whom another Glock pistol and five other weapons were seized.
Police officials believe Mattu’s arrest could open a trail of information about the nexus between Punjab-based gangsters and cross-border arms suppliers, with further revelations expected during his police remand.
