Nashik, Dec 15 (IANS): Police here arrested three men and seized a large cache of arms from a vehicle near a toll plaza on the Agra-Mumbai highway early on Friday, an officer said.

The seizure near the Chandwad Toll Plaza included at least two dozen rifles, 19 guns, including two foreign-made revolvers, and more than 4,100 live cartridges, said the Nashik Rural Police officer.

Late on Thursday night, the vehicle's driver had filled diesel before flashing a gun at the petrol station attendant and fleeing without paying.

The police was alerted and they placed road blocks at strategic locations, finally managing to stop the jeep.

A thorough search revealed the arms cache from specially-created compartments inside the vehicle.

According to preliminary investigations, the arms may have been smuggled from some factory in Uttar Pradesh, but its destination, the motive and people behind the operation was not known.

The Chandwad police have arrested three persons, including the vehicle driver and two others and further probe in underway.