Reported by: Mrinal Banik
Agartala: Tripura Police and Assam Rifles arrested two men from Bihar and recovered two 9-mm pistols and three live cartridges from their possession in the Salbagan area of Agartala, officials said on Monday.
The arrests followed information received from a confidential source about two persons allegedly moving around the area with firearms, SDPO, NCC, Subrata Barman, said.
Acting on the information, personnel from NCC police station and Assam Rifles carried out a search operation in Salbagan on Sunday. Two youths were detained during the operation and subsequently searched, leading to the recovery of the firearms and ammunition, police said.
“The two arrested persons are permanent residents of Bihar. The firearms were being carried without any legal authorisation,” Barman told reporters.
Police are examining the circumstances in which the two men came into possession of the weapons and are investigating whether they have any association with an arms trafficking network.
At present, investigators have not established where the firearms originated or whether they were allegedly being transported to a particular person or location, officials said.
Cases have been registered against the two accused under the Arms Act.
Police are questioning them to determine whether other persons were involved in the alleged movement of the weapons or whether any accomplices remain at large.
Barman said the accused were produced before a court on Monday, with police seeking their remand for further interrogation.
Officials said the investigation is continuing and further information may emerge after the questioning of the arrested persons.