Huge arms haul in Nashik: 25 rifles, 19 revolvers,1 machine gun seized; three arrested

Biggest arms seizure in Maharashtra since 2006; two of the three arrested are from Sewri in Mumbai

Acting on a tip-off, the Nashik rural police seized a large quantity of arms near Chandwad toll naka on Agra-Mumbai highway and arrested three men on Friday morning. The seizure includes 25 rifles, one machine gun, 19 revolvers and 4,166 live cartridges.

The seizure includes 25 rifles, one machine gun, 19 revolvers and 4,166 live cartridges. (HT File Photo / Pic used for representational purpose)

The is the largest arms seizure in Maharashtra since the arms haul in Aurangabad in 2006.

The police were alerted by a local petrol pump owner after the three accused stopped at the pump to fill fuel in their vehicle (MH-01/SA 7460). The three arrested have been identified as Nagesh Bansode, 23, a resident of Wadala in Nashik, and two Mumbai residents, Salman Ammanulla Khan, 19, and Badrinujam Badshah alias Sumit, 27, both of whom live in Sewri.

The Chandwad police station are investigating the case and have filed a first information report (FIR) under the Arms Act and under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The is the first major seizure in 11 years. On May 9, 2006, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad had seized 43 kg of RDX, 50 hand grenades, several AK-47 rifles and 3,200 live cartridges in two separate incidents in Aurangabad.