Haryana STF unit arrests ‘arms smuggler’ in Sohna, recovers six pistols

The 29-year-old Agra resident was intercepted while allegedly carrying a consignment for delivery and was sent to four days of police remand.

The central unit of the Haryana Police Special Task Force (STF) arrested a suspected arms smuggler in Sohna and recovered six country-made semi-automatic pistols from his possession, officials said Monday.

Haryana STF unit arrests ‘arms smuggler’ in Sohna, recovers six pistols

The suspect, a 29-year-old resident of Khandari in the Civil Lines area of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested Sunday following a tip-off and technical data analysis, STF officials said.

An FIR was registered at City Sohna police station under sections 25 and 29 of the Arms Act on Sunday after the firearms were recovered from his possession. Police said the suspect was allegedly involved in the illegal possession and continuous supply of firearms for the last several months.

A senior STF official said the suspect was produced before a court Monday and taken on four days’ police remand for detailed interrogation.

“He was being questioned to establish the source from which he had procured firearms and also to identify the suspects to whom he was scheduled to supply them. Till now, nothing has surfaced to establish that he was linked with any gang,” he said, adding that the suspect had reached Sohna to deliver the consignment before he was arrested.

Officials said the pistols were .32 bore and were country-made semi-automatic firearms. They were of high quality and probably meant to be supplied to local criminals in Haryana and Rajasthan, they said.

Officials said details were being gathered from the suspect’s mobile phone to ascertain whom he had been in continuous contact with. STF officials also said he had smuggled weapons in large quantities earlier.