Bengal arms bust: Two cross-border dealers arrested in Bangaon near Bangladesh border
Synopsis
Two arms dealers arrested in Bangaon, West Bengal — just kilometres from where the STF recently nabbed a Pakistani national with alleged ISI links — have reportedly been supplying weapons to Bangladesh using a Munger-to-Bengal procurement chain. Police are now probing whether the network connects to fundamentalist groups, and reopening old complaints allegedly shelved under the previous TMC government.
Key Takeaways
Shahidul Mondal and Anup Khan were arrested from Bangaon , North 24 Parganas , West Bengal, in late-night raids on Wednesday .
Large consignments of arms, ammunition, and incriminating documents were recovered from their residences.
Shahidul allegedly procured arms from local West Bengal sources and Munger, Bihar ; Anup reportedly handled supply into Bangladesh .
Both locations are close to Habra , where the STF recently arrested a Pakistani national with alleged ISI links — though no confirmed connection has been established.
Police are probing possible links to underground fundamentalist groups and have reopened earlier complaints allegedly ignored under the previous TMC regime.
Two cross-border arms dealers have been arrested from Bangaon in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, close to the Indo-Bangladesh border, in simultaneous raid-and-search operations conducted late Wednesday night. The arrests came to light on Thursday afternoon when the duo was produced before the Bongaon sub-divisional court and the public prosecutor sought police custody.
Who Was Arrested
The two accused have been identified as Shahidul Mondal, a resident of Bajitala under Bongaon police station, and Anup Khan, a resident of Fultala Kalam under the same police station. Investigators recovered large consignments of arms and ammunition from their residences, along with incriminating documents pointing to cross-border trafficking operations.
According to investigators, Shahidul was primarily responsible for procuring arms from local sources within West Bengal as well as from Munger in Bihar, stocking them at his residence. Anup reportedly handled the marketing and supply side in Bangladesh. During interrogation, a state police official said Anup confessed to having recently travelled to Bangladesh to finalise a fresh arms supply deal.
Proximity to Earlier ISI-Linked Arrest
Notably, both Bajitala and Fultala Kalam are close to Habra in North 24 Parganas, where the Special Task Force (STF) of the West Bengal state police recently arrested Wahab Mondal, a Pakistani national with alleged links to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). However, police have not confirmed any connection between Wahab Mondal and the two newly arrested arms dealers. Investigators are separately probing whether Shahidul and Anup had ties to underground fundamentalist groups operating in Bengal.
Old Complaints, New Scrutiny
It has reportedly emerged that prior complaints were registered against both Shahidul and Anup, which were allegedly ignored during the earlier All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime. Authorities have now reopened those complaints as part of the broader investigation. Investigators are also attempting to identify other associates involved in the cross-border arms smuggling racket.
What Comes Next
Police are currently seeking custody of the two accused to conduct further interrogation and trace the full network of suppliers, distributors, and buyers on both sides of the border. The case is expected to draw scrutiny given its proximity to a previously uncovered ISI-linked operation in the same district, raising wider questions about the state of border security in North 24 Parganas.
Point of View
Within a short interval, two arms traffickers supplying Bangladesh. The allegation that earlier complaints against the duo were shelved under the previous administration is serious and demands independent verification, not just a police statement. If the procurement chain runs through Munger — long India's illegal arms capital — it signals a supply network with national reach, not a local operation. Border security in Bengal deserves far more structural attention than episodic arrests can provide.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were arrested in the Bangaon arms bust in West Bengal?
The two arrested individuals are Shahidul Mondal of Bajitala and Anup Khan of Fultala Kalam, both under Bongaon police station in North 24 Parganas. They were apprehended during simultaneous raids on Wednesday night and produced before the Bongaon sub-divisional court on Thursday.
What was recovered during the raids?
Large consignments of arms and ammunition were recovered from the residences of both accused, along with incriminating documents that investigators say point to cross-border arms trafficking into Bangladesh.
Is there a connection to the ISI-linked arrest in Habra?
Police have not confirmed any link between the two arrested arms dealers and Wahab Mondal, the Pakistani national with alleged ISI ties arrested by the STF in nearby Habra. However, investigators are probing whether the accused had connections to underground fundamentalist groups in Bengal.
How did the two accused divide their roles in the smuggling network?
According to investigators, Shahidul Mondal procured arms from sources in West Bengal and from Munger in Bihar and stored them at his residence, while Anup Khan was responsible for marketing and supplying the weapons in Bangladesh. Anup reportedly confessed to a recent trip to Bangladesh to finalise a new supply deal.
Why are old complaints against the accused being reopened?
Reports indicate that prior complaints against Shahidul and Anup were registered but allegedly ignored during the earlier TMC government. Authorities are now reinvestigating those complaints as part of the current probe into the wider cross-border arms smuggling racket.
