Amritsar, 10 October (H.S.): Amritsar Rural Police has dismantled two illegal arms and narcotics supply networks with the arrest of four individuals and recoverd 15 kg opium, one sophisticated M16 rifle, nine illegal pistols along with 25 live cartridges from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

Those arrested in the first operation have been identified as Malkit Singh alias Meeta (32), a resident of Manj in Amritsar and his brother-in-law Gurjit Singh (32), a resident of Sarangra in Amritsar. The accused arrested in the second operation have been identified as Amritpal Singh (26) and Satnam Singh (29), both residents of Village Kakkar Kalan in Amritsar. Police teams have also impounded their HF-Deluxe motorcycle, which they were using from criminal activities.

Sharing details of first operation, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Border Range Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that acting on reliable inputs, a police party of Police Station Gharinda apprehended Malkit Singh and Gurjit Singh. During search, police teams recovered 15 kg opium and one modified US-made M-16 rifle from their possession.

He said that preliminary investigation has uncovered that both Malkit and Gurjit own around 10-15 acres of agricultural land adjoining the Indo-Pak border barbed-wire fence, which they were using to receive the consignments from across the border.

In the second operation, the IGP said that a special team from Special Cell intercepted Amritpal Singh and Satnam Singh near Dana Mandi at Lopoke and recovered five foreign pistols on the spot, while, another four pistols were recovered upon subsequent questioning, taking total recovery to nine pistols along with 25 live cartridges.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar Rural Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal said that the recovered nine pistols include two Zigana, six .30 bore and one .32 bore pistol. Accused Amritpal Singh is already facing a previous NDPS Act case registered at Police Station Chheharta, he said.

The SSP said that one their associates have also been identified and police teams are on manhunt to arrest the absconder.

In this regard, two separate cases at Police Station Gharinda, and Police Station Lopoke have been registered.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH