Who Were the Three Arrested in Tripura for Arms Trafficking?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Three individuals arrested during a patrol operation in Agartala.
- Firearms and mobile devices seized from the suspects.
- Investigation underway to determine the source of the firearms.
- Arundhuti Nagar area has a history of arms trafficking issues.
- Police emphasize the need for further interrogation.
Agartala, Nov 24 (NationPress) Tripura Police apprehended three individuals, including a suspected arms supplier from Bihar, during a patrol operation on Monday night in Agartala, officials reported.
According to West Tripura district Superintendent of Police Namit Pathak, the arrests occurred when the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Arundhuti Nagar Police station was executing standard patrols near the Bandeshwar bridge along the bypass road.
The OC observed suspicious behavior from three individuals and, upon inspection, discovered the weapons alongside three mobile phones.
The detained individuals have been named as Tinku Debbarma (35) and Sumenda Debbarma (40), both hailing from Barkathal in West Tripura, and Sibash Kumar (29), a resident of Dumeria Khurd in Bihar, who is accused of smuggling the firearms into the region.
The police chief stated that a case is being filed under the Arms Act, and initial inquiries suggest the firearms were transported from Bihar earlier that day.
“We will only be able to ascertain how the arms arrived here, their intended purpose, and the recipient after conducting further interrogations,” Pathak stated.
Police sources indicated that the Arundhuti Nagar area, situated near Agartala railway station, has seen numerous arrests of arms dealers over the years, predominantly involving illegal firearms smuggled into the state, frequently through railway routes, especially from Nagaland.
In a related incident on May 8, eight pistols and 16 empty magazines were found on an express train at Agartala railway station.
The Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF), in a joint operation on May 8, recovered eight pistols and 16 empty magazines from the Tripura Sundari Express Train after it arrived at the Agartala railway station from Punjab's Firozpur.
“Eight pistols and 16 empty magazines were retrieved from two unclaimed bags. We have yet to determine the owner or carrier of these bags,” a GRP official mentioned, adding that the pistols and magazines bore no identifying marks or manufacturing details. All eight pistols resemble 9mm models.