Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Aug 13: Two alleged cross-border arms dealers have been arrested from the Indo-Bangladesh border area near Bangaon in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, with a large consignment of arms and ammunition recovered from their possession.
The arrested men have been identified as Shahidul Mondal and Anu Khan.
Both were arrested following simultaneous raids and searches at their residences late Wednesday night. The arrests came to light on Thursday afternoon when the duo was produced before the Bongaon sub-divisional court and the public prosecutor sought their custody.
Shahidul's residence is located at Bajitala under Bongaon police station, while Anu's residence is at Fultala Kalam under the same police station.
Both locations are close to Habra in North 24 Parganas, where the Special Task Force (STF) of the state police recently arrested Wahab Mondal, a Pakistani national allegedly linked to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Police, however, have not confirmed any connection between the Pakistani national and the two arrested arms dealers.
During the raids, police recovered incriminating documents allegedly indicating that the duo was involved in trafficking arms to neighbouring Bangladesh.
According to the investigation, Shahidul allegedly procured arms from local sources in West Bengal as well as from Munger in Bihar and stocked them at his residence. Anu was allegedly responsible for marketing and supplying the weapons in Bangladesh.
Investigating officers are probing whether the duo had links with underground fundamentalist groups in Bengal. They are also seeking information about other associates allegedly involved in the cross-border arms-smuggling network.
During interrogation, a state police official said Anu confessed to recently travelling to Bangladesh to negotiate a fresh deal for supplying arms.
Police have also found that previous complaints had been registered against Shahidul and Anu. Officials are now examining those complaints as part of the investigation, amid allegations that they were not acted upon during the previous Trinamool Congress regime.
The investigation is continuing to establish the extent of the alleged arms-smuggling network and identify other persons involved.