Man arrested with country-made pistol from Panvel

Navi Mumbai The Navi Mumbai crime branch arrested a 25-year-old man with a country-made pistol on Thursday evening. The accused was in the process of selling the

Navi Mumbai The Navi Mumbai crime branch arrested a 25-year-old man with a country-made pistol on Thursday evening. The accused was in the process of selling the firearm when he was arrested.

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According to crime branch officers, they received a tip-off that a man in his mid-twenties would be arriving at a restaurant near Panvel-Mumbra Highway to sell a firearm. After verifying the information, the police laid a trap near the hotel .

Around 4pm on Thursday, the police interrogated a man on suspicion. “When our team questioned him, he was evasive. He was frisked. We found the country-made pistol with ‘Made in Italy Auto Pistol’ inscribed on it. Two live cartridges were also found on him,” said NB Kolhatkar, senior inspector at crime branch, central unit.

Police sources said the man, Vishal Mane, had purchased the pistol and cartridges from a truck driver for ₹15,000 and was planning to sell it for ₹40,000. Mane, who lives in Kalamboli alone, used to work as a mathadi labourer but has been unemployed since he lost his job. The accused does not have any criminal record, said police.

He has been remanded in police custody till Monday. A case under Arms Act has been registered against him at the Taloja police station.