STF seizes firearms, 77L cash in run-up to election

Kolkata/Durgapur: Ahead of the upcoming polls, law enforcement agencies across Bengal have intensified their crackdown on the movement of illegal arms and unaccounted cash, resulting in a series of major seizures in Kolkata and Durgapur.

On Saturday, the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police arrested an alleged arms trafficker close to the Rajabazar Science College under Amherst Street police station.




The accused, Sohail Akhtar (43), a resident of Nalanda in Bihar, was initially detained. "We recovered six country-made single-shot firearms and 14 pieces of 8mm cartridges. Failing to provide any satisfactory explanation for the cache, Akhtar was arrested at 1.05 pm. A case has been registered at the STF police station under the Arms Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita," said additional CP Solomon V Nesakumar.

The city also saw a spike in cash seizures in the last 48 hours as Static Surveillance Teams (SST) tightened vigil.

The SST of the Ballygunge constituency intercepted a car with Rs 25 lakh in unaccounted cash at the intersection of Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue and Gurusaday Dutta Roadon Saturday. Officials from the Income Tax Department were promptly summoned to intervene . The driver was detained.

In a separate incident during naka checking at Topsia More, another SST intercepted an individual and seized Rs 2 lakh in unaccounted cash. The cash was seized and further necessary action has been initiated. The accused has been detained.

The crackdown extended beyond the city limits. At Durgapur railway station, the Govt Railway Police foiled an attempt to smuggle nearly Rs 50 lakh. On Friday afternoon, GRP officers arrested two men, Tapan Kumar Mitra and Guddu Kumar Roy, both hailing from Bihar.

The duo reportedly arrived via the Patna-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express and were planning to travel to Kolkata by bus. Upon searching their bags, police discovered a massive load of currency. Employees of a public sector bank were called in with counting machines to verify the amount, which totalled Rs 49,99,500. Both were arrested and produced before the Asansol District Court on Saturday.Get real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.