Arms recovery case: NIA in Bihar to find 20 absconders clue

A three-member team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrived here Friday to probe into the recovery of huge cache of arms last month from Purnea, police said. Superintendent of Police Vishal Sharma said that the NIA team, headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Sudhanshu Kumar, is probing into the recovery of cartridges, one AK-47 rifle and two UBGL (Under Barrel Grenade Launcher) from the district.

On February 7, police had seized 1,800 cartridges, unassembled parts of rifles including that of an AK-47 and UBGL near Dalkola checkpost under Baisi police station during a routine vehicle check. The police had also arrested six arms smugglers so far in this connection.

Around 20 people belonging to the international gang of arms smugglers are still absconding, the SP said adding that police had conducted raids at several places during which it arrested the mastermind Mukesh Singh from Latehar district of Jharkhand last month. The NIA team visited Baisi police station and Dalkola checkpost, the SP said. The NIA is expected to take Mukesh Singh on remand for interrogation after going through the FIR, Sharma said.

(With inputs from agencies.)