Arrest of Notorious Arms Smuggler Exposes Crime Links

Mohammad Asim, involved in the 2016 Nabha Jail escape, was arrested in a joint police operation. Authorities seized firearms and ammunition from him. Asim is being interrogated to uncover further details about the arms smuggling network. His Bajpur firearm store had been under investigation for supplying weapons to criminals.

In a joint operation by the Uttarakhand Special Task Force and the local police, a notorious interstate arms smuggler was apprehended in Udham Singh Nagar district. The operation resulted in the seizure of five guns and 40 live cartridges, officials confirmed on Sunday.

The suspect, Mohammad Asim, 32, is alleged to have played a direct role in the infamous 2016 Nabha Jail breakout in Punjab, having served a sentence in Central Jail Patiala for his involvement in supplying arms to the escapees. Asim was captured on Saturday in Rudrapur, following a tip-off, with four .32-bore pistols, magazines, and a .12-bore double-barrel gun in his possession. A motorcycle linked to the smuggling operations was also confiscated.

Investigations revealed Asim operated a firearm store, purportedly under his brother's name, previously raided by the National Investigation Agency for supplying arms to criminals. Authorities are interrogating Asim at the Rudrapur police station to trace others involved in the cross-state smuggling network.

(With inputs from agencies.)