2 drug smugglers held in Amritsar after shootout
AMRITSAR: Two members of a cross-border narco module were arrested while three of their accomplices managed to escape after an encounter with Amritsar police in busy Narayanghar locality of Chheharta area on Thursday.
Those arrested are Robin Singh of Tarn Taran’s Kazikot and Ravi alias Khali of Chheharta. The police said their absconding aides have been identified, but did not disclose their names citing that it may help them in evading the arrest.
The police have also recovered five firearms, including three .9mm Glock pistols and two .32 bore countrymade pistols, besides 20 live rounds.
The incident took place around 12.30 pm when a team of Chheharta police started chasing the accused, who were travelling in a Toyota Innova (PB13AR-1853).
“The operation was led by deputy commissioner of police (investigation) Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar. Our team first chased the accused in a car and then on foot. While fleeing, the accused opened fire on our team, which was retaliated. Two of the accused had entered a house by breaking its lock, but were chased down, while the others fled taking advantage of the congested and busy area,” said Amritsar police commissioner Jaskaran Singh.
A CCTV camera footage has also surfaced which shows the accused being chased by a police team. Some of the accused can be seen with pistols in their hands while fleeing in the video. DCP Bhullar said the accused appeared to be in their 20s. “Our teams are still working to nab the absconding ones and examining their previous records,” he added.
A senior Amritsar police official privy to the ongoing probe said, “Our investigation has so far revealed that the accused are part of a narco-terror module involved in cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons. They were trying to trace a man in the area when the incident took place. Robin is the kingpin of the racket. Besides smuggling, the accused had also been working as recovery agents, who used to threaten and thrash those who refused to pay them after buying drugs. All of them have several criminal cases registered against them. We are examining their past records.”
An FIR has been registered against them under relevant sections of the Arms Act and the Indian Penal Code at the Chheharta police station.