Two Rajasthan-based Weapon Smugglers Held: Punjab Police

Two men have been arrested with eight pistols and fake currency notes from Punjab's Fazilka district, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Friday.

The accused have been identified as Banna Ram alias Vinod Devasi and Mukesh alias Muksha Rabari, both residents of Jaitiyawas village in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, he said.

Yadav said the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), Fazilka, had received information that two men were trying to smuggle consignment of weapons brought from Madhya Pradesh and deliver them to members of the Arsh Dalla gang in Punjab.

He said a police team arrested both the accused and recovered seven .32 bore pistols along with two live cartridges and one .315 bore country-made pistol along with two live cartridges from their possession.

The police teams have also recovered fake Indian currency worth Rs 9,650 from their possession, he added.

Assistant inspector general of SSOC Lakhbir Singh said earlier SSOC Fazilka had arrested their module member Naresh Pandit.

Pandit disclosed that he was in touch with Arsh Dalla, who is a designated terrorist and was tasked to kidnap a Jodhpur-based prominent business for ransom.

The information was shared with Rajasthan Police which led to the busting of the kidnapping module in district Pali.

Further investigations are on to find out the source of weapons in Madhya Pradesh, he said, adding that the police is investigating the fake Indian currency angle too, he said.