West Bengal Police arrested a Trinamool Congress (TMC) booth president and recovered a cache of weapons — including firearms, live cartridges, and a bomb — from his residence in the Canning area of South 24 Parganas district during a late-night raid on Sunday, 3 August 2025. The arrest adds to a growing pattern of arms recoveries across the district in recent weeks.

The Raid and What Was Found

The accused, identified as Alauddin Tarafdar, is a resident of Uttar Angadberia village under the Dighirpar gram panchayat in the Canning police station jurisdiction. Acting on a tip-off, officers carried out a search of his home late Sunday night and recovered one firearm, one small firearm, four live cartridges, and a live bomb. All recovered weapons were taken into custody for forensic examination and further investigation.

What the Police Said

A police officer confirmed that Tarafdar is scheduled to be produced before the Alipore court on Monday. Investigators are expected to seek police custody to question him further. 'An application will be made to take him into police custody for the sake of investigation. We are trying to ascertain why the firearms and explosives were kept there and whether any other persons are linked to the case,' the officer said.

A Pattern of Arms Recoveries in South 24 Parganas

This arrest is the latest in a series of weapons seizures across South 24 Parganas and neighbouring districts. On 27 July, a joint police raid in the Bishnupur area of the same district led to the arrest of three persons and the recovery of two firearms, three rounds of live ammunition, and cash totalling ₹20,65,900.

Earlier, on 20 June, police recovered 14 long-range firearms and 95 rounds of ammunition from a pond in Basanti, also in South 24 Parganas. Two local TMC leaders were arrested in connection with that haul; the weapons were allegedly concealed near the residence of Shaokat Gayen.

On 15 June, fishermen casting nets in a pond at Habra in North 24 Parganas stumbled upon two bags containing eight firearms and 97 rounds of live cartridges. Police seized the weapons and launched an investigation into their origin and intended use.

Broader Implications

The frequency of arms discoveries in the districts flanking Kolkata has raised questions about illegal weapons networks operating in the region. Notably, multiple arrests in this cluster have involved individuals with political affiliations, though investigators have not publicly established any organised link between the incidents. The Tarafdar case is the fourth significant arms seizure in the area since mid-June, underscoring what law enforcement officials describe as a concentrated enforcement push.

The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are not ruled out as police work to determine the source and intended destination of the recovered weapons.