Rural police seize pistols, nab arms smugglers

Acting on a tip-off, the Amritsar rural police have confiscated as many as eight pistols in two separate incidents and arrested four trans-border weapon smugglers in this connection.

In the first instance, a joint operation was carried out with the Border Security Force (BSF) that led to the seizure of five pistols from two persons, identified as Lakhwinder Singh and his brother Harpreet Singh of Dande village. “Developing an intelligence input, the BSF and CIA staff of Amritsar rural police held a naka on Attari-Dande road. They intercepted two bike-borne arms smugglers and seized five pistols from them,” said Aditya Warrior, SP (investigations), here on Wednesday. He said among the weapons seized from them were three .30 bore pistols and two 9mm pistols. Their bike (PB-02-EX-9625) and a mobile phone were also seized.

As per preliminary probe, the duo was in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers and used to supply weapons to anti-social elements in different parts of Punjab. A case under the Arms Act was registered against them and further probe was on to expose the racket.

In the second incident, the Gharinda police arrested Akashdeep Singh of Chabal Khurd village and Gurpreet Singh of Kasel village falling under Sarai Amanat Khan police station in Tarn Taran for allegedly possessing three pistols, two of which were of .30 bore and one of 9mm. A separate case under the Arms Act was registered with Gharinda police in this regard.

Meanwhile, BSF seized another pistol without upper slide along with magazines and three live bullets smuggled via drone in Dhanoe Kalan border village. The drone crashed because of technical measures deployed by the BSF to curb smuggling at the IB.

Five booked for murderous attack on lawyer

The police have nominated five persons in the case of murderous assault on a lawyer in Jandiala Guru area on Monday. Those booked were identified as Balwinder Singh of Boparai village, Gurpreet Singh, Ajaypal Singh, Abhi and Angrej Singh though no arrests have been made till now.

Lawyer Lakhwinder Singh was shot at by three armed persons in Jandiala Guru area when he was on his way to the Amritsar court complex.

Daljit Singh, victim’s brother, told the police that the accused suspect that Lakhwinder Singh, who was contesting the case from their side, had been supporting the opposite group also.

Meanwhile, members of the Amritsar Bar Association today met DIG (Border Range) Dr Nanak Singh seeking immediate arrest of the accused. The DIG assured that the accused would be arrested soon.

Amritsar