Patna, Nov 2 (IANS) In a major crackdown on illegal arms and ammunition trafficking, a joint team of the Bihar Police and the Special Task Force (STF) arrested three alleged smugglers and seized more than 19,000 rounds of ammunition in Bhojpur district on Monday.
The operation was conducted near Manbhawan Mor under the Koilwar police station area.
The accused, Saras Kumar, Laltu Kumar and Chandan Tiwari, were travelling in a Tata Safari SUV when police intercepted the vehicle.
During the search, officers recovered over 19,000 rounds of 7.65 mm calibre ammunition and a loaded pistol.
Of the three arrested suspects, Saras Kumar and Laltu Kumar belong to Muzaffarpur district, while the third accused, Chandan Tiwari, is from Siwan district.
According to a police official, preliminary investigations suggest that the ammunition had been brought from western Uttar Pradesh and was intended for distribution across different parts of North Bihar, particularly Muzaffarpur.
Police had received intelligence inputs that a group of smugglers was planning to enter Bihar in a vehicle carrying a large consignment of illegal ammunition.
Acting on the information, police and STF personnel began surveillance.
The suspects reportedly halted in Varanasi overnight. After receiving information that the vehicle had entered Bihar on Monday morning, security personnel intensified their vigilance and deployed a joint team to intercept it.
When the Safari SUV reached Manbhawan Mor, the police team stopped the vehicle.
The occupants allegedly attempted to escape, during which their SUV collided with a Tata Harrier approaching from behind and a Tata Nexon coming from the opposite direction.
Both vehicles sustained damage to their front sections.
Police personnel subsequently overpowered and arrested all three occupants.
A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of the huge ammunition consignment and the loaded pistol.
Senior police officials said the accused had taken extensive precautions to avoid detection.
They were reportedly not carrying mobile phones, GPS devices or other electronic gadgets.
During questioning, the arrested men allegedly admitted to their involvement in ammunition smuggling.
Following the seizure, senior STF official Anjani Singh arrived in Koilwar from Patna to interrogate the accused and gather further information about the network.
The police and STF are now investigating the criminal backgrounds of the arrested men and attempting to identify other members of the smuggling syndicate.
Investigators are particularly focusing on how the ammunition was transported from western Uttar Pradesh to Bihar, who facilitated its movement and who the intended buyers in North Bihar were.
Efforts are underway to identify the suppliers, intermediaries and recipients involved in the illegal ammunition trade.
