Guwahati, May 16 (HS): A major interstate gold smuggling attempt was foiled in Assam’s Bongaigaon district after the Government Railway Police (GRP) recovered illegal gold bars worth nearly ₹3 crore from the Delhi–Tripura Sampark Kranti Express.
Police sources said the operation was carried out based on specific intelligence inputs indicating that a large quantity of smuggled gold was being transported through the railway network. Acting swiftly on the information, GRP personnel launched a search operation onboard the train while it was passing through Bongaigaon.
During the inspection, officials grew suspicious of the movements and behaviour of one passenger. A thorough search of his luggage led to the recovery of several gold bars allegedly concealed inside the bag.
The detained passenger has been identified as Prabin Singha Rao. He is currently being interrogated at the Bongaigaon GRP Police Station regarding the source and destination of the seized consignment.
Investigators suspect that the recovery could be linked to a wider interstate smuggling racket operating through rail routes. Police teams are now trying to trace other individuals believed to be connected to the network.
The massive seizure has drawn significant attention in the region, with authorities intensifying efforts to uncover the larger syndicate behind the illegal trade.------------
Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash
