PUNJAB POLICE SEIZES 48 FOREIGN-MADE PISTOLS, ARRESTS SMUGGLER

Punjab Police on Thursday night seized a huge cache of foreign-made pistols, and arrested a weapons smuggler. He is allegedly linked with Pakistan-based terrorist outfits and anti-India pro-Khalistani elements based in the USA, Canada, and the UK, and operating on the directions of a USA-based handler, said DGP Dinkar Gupta on Friday.

The weapons were meant for carrying out terrorist activities in various parts of India, DGP disclosed on Friday, giving details of the seizure. Jagjit Singh or Jaggu (25 years) r/o Purian Kalan PS Sadar Batala, Police District Batala, was arrested from near Kathunangal, Amritsar on Thursday night by a team of Punjab Internal Security Wing SSOC Amritsar. In an intelligence-led operation, SSOC Amritsar. The SSOC intercepted an I-20 car at a specially laid police naka on Amritsar-Batala road, Kathunangal village, he said.

The team recovered from the car two nylon bags containing 48 foreign-made pistols of different foreign makes and bores, along with magazines and ammunition. The cache included 19 pistols 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 9mm (Baretta-Italian) and two magazines, the DGP further said.

Giving details, Gupta said preliminary investigations had revealed that Jagjit had been directed by Darmanjit Singh or Darman Kahlon, a former gangster criminal, to collect this weapon consignment. Jagjit has been in touch with Darmanjit, at present based in the USA. During his stay in Dubai from 2017 to December 2020, Jagjit had remained in touch with Darmanjit who motivated him to work for him, added Gupta.

The mastermind of this smuggling racket, Darmanjit had reportedly tasked Jagjit to collect and conceal the weapon consignment and wait for further instructions for the delivery of the pistols, said the DGP, adding that open-ended warrants of Darmanjit, a proclaimed offender in Punjab, have been obtained.

According to police, Darmanjit, who originally belonged to village Talwandi Khumman under police station Kathunanagal, Amritsar, was involved in various criminal activities in Punjab before his escape to the US in 2017 to evade arrest. The DGP said that an FIR u/s 13, 17, 18, 18-B, 20 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 120, 120-B IPC and 25 Arms Act, PS SSOC, Amritsar has been registered regarding last night’s seizure. Further investigation is on to unearth the whole nexus, he said.