M A I N   N E W S

Arms cache unearthed
Tribune News Service

Kolkata, October 12
A huge cache of sophisticated firearms, including automatic rifles, revolvers, cartridges, landmines and other explosives was found unearthed in the Behala area, near Kolkata today, following a raid jointly by the Army and the city police.

These weapons which bore marks of the ordinance factories at Cossipore, Dum Dum and Ichapur were suspected to have been smuggled out from the protected areas of these factories for selling them to the terrorists and other anti-socials at high prices. The seized weapons included 541 landmines, 120 revolvers, 40 automatic rifles , over 1,000 live cartridges and other explosives.

So far four persons including two army personnel have been arrested. Several other have also been detained from different places in and around the city for interrogation.

According to official sources, these firearms were kept in a house at Sukanta Park in the Behala area, in south 24-parganas, which was rented to a couple, namely Ranjit Jana and Chhaya Jana.. They were residing there along with Chhaya’s brother Sujit Sarker, who was an armed dealer.

The police is inquiring if the arrested persons have any connection with the ISI or any other terrorists outfits, operating actively in the adjoining Bangla Desh, Nepal and places placs in the North-East.