48 foreign-made pistols, 99 magazines seized in Amritsar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 11

In a major seizure, the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) of the Punjab Police confiscated at least 48 foreign-made pistols and arrested a weapon smuggler, identified as Jagjit Singh (25), for allegedly having links with banned terrorist organisations in the US, UK, Canada and Pakistan.

It is for the first time that seizure of such a huge quantity of automatic weapons, along with magazines and ammunition, had been made in Punjab, police officials said. Jagjit was working on the directions of US-based notorious gangster Darmanjot, alias Darman Kahlon. The police said open-ended warrants of Darman, a proclaimed offender in Punjab, had been obtained.

First such recovery of arms: Cops

It is for the first time that seizure of such a huge quantity of automatic weapons, along with magazines and ammunition, had been made in Punjab, police officials said.

Suspect Jagjit Singh was working on the directions of US-based notorious gangster Darmanjot, alias Darman Kahlon. The police said open-ended warrants of Darman, a proclaimed offender in Punjab, had been obtained.

RN Dhoke, Additional Director General of Police, accompanied by ADGP Amit Prasad, in a press conference here on Friday revealed that Jagjit was intercepted by the SSOC team led by DSP Harwinder Singh from the Kathunangal area on the Amritsar-Batala road following specific inputs late Thursday night. He was travelling in a car while the weapon consignment was concealed in two nylon bags. He said the weapons which were smuggled from Pakistan were meant to carry out terrorist activities in different parts of the country.

The weapons in the cache included 19 pistols of 9 mm (zigana, made in Turkey), 37 magazines and 45 rounds; nine pistols of .30 bore (made in China) and 22 magazines; 19 pistols of .30 bore (star mark), 38 magazines and 148 rounds; and one pistol of 9 mm (Baretta-Italian) and two magazines.

A case under Sections 13, 17, 18, 18B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and Sections 120 and 120B of the IPC and 25 of the Arms Act has been registered in this regard. Jagjit was produced in the court and brought on police remand for further interrogation. Investigations were on to identify the supplier who had given the weapon consignment to him.