Chandigarh, Sep 2 (IANS) In an intelligence-led operation, Punjab Police has busted an inter-state weapon smuggling module with the arrest of two Madhya Pradesh-based arms suppliers involved in manufacturing and supply of weapons into the state, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said here on Friday.
Those arrested have been identified as Bhorelal, alias Manish Bade, of Ratwa village in Khargon district, and Kailash Mal Singh of Dutt Pahari village in Burhanpur district.
Police have also recovered a cache of 55 pistols of .32 bore and .30 bore from their possession. The accused were apprehended from Madhya Pradesh by the Counter Intelligence unit of Punjab Police with the help of its counterparts in Madhya Pradesh.
DGP Yadav said the development came three weeks after the CI Amritsar Unit, in the vigorous follow-up operations, had arrested two persons from railway crossing Vallah Mandi in Amritsar after recovering four pistols from their possession.
He said during the investigation, it has come to the fore the recovered weapons were supplied by an interstate illegal weapons manufacturer and supplier suspected to be based in Burhanpur district.
The DGP said the operation is still going on and there is a high possibility of more recovery of arms and ammunition.
A spokesman for the Chief Minister's office said all domestic consumers in the state would be eligible to get zero bills if their consumption is up to 600 units in every billing cycle. This will give a big reprieve to the domestic consumers who have to hitherto shell out huge money every month in the form of power tariff.
On receiving information about the incident, SP City Dinesh Kumar Singh, along with police force, reached the spot. The injured youths were sent to the hospital for treatment and the matter is being investigated.
The Chief Minister said the government is fully sensitive towards checking cross-border infiltration in Punjab. He said Punjab Police is constantly in touch with the Border Security Force (BSF) and other agencies for this purpose.
While briefing the officers, the DGP said the topmost priority of the government, as directed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is to further strengthen the fight against drugs to make Punjab a drug-free state, besides eliminating the gangster culture, maintaining law and order, and detection of crime.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased, whereas Rs 15,000 as immediate relief for the injured. He said free treatment would be provided to the injured.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday carried out his first Cabinet expansion by inducting five legislators, including second-time MLA Aman Arora, into his council of ministers. The expansion came in less than four months of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sweeping to victory in the Assembly elections by winning 92 seats of the 117 seats.
