Bihar-based student nabbed for supplying firearms, ammunitions in city

NAGPUR: Abdul Mannan, 19, a student of first year science at Munger, Bihar, was arrested near

Gittikhadan

Chowk on Wednesday for his role in supplying firearms and ammunition in the city. Two more persons, identified as Hemraj Shende and Deepak Mansure, were arrested on Thursday for purchasing firearms and ammunition from Mannan around five days ago.

Police have so far seized two country-made pistols, four magazines and 24 live cartridges of 7.65mm bore from the three. The investigating team of Gittikhadan police station, after producing the three before a local court, procured custody remand till July 16.

Two magazines, 14 cartridges and a country-made pistol were seized from Mannan, who had reached the city by train from Bihar a couple of hours before his arrest. The rest of the arms and ammunition were recovered from the residence of Shende at Jagdish Nagar.

Police said Mannan, whose sister and family stayed at Gittikhadan earlier, had befriended several local residents, including Babu Chinni, who has a criminal background. Chinni is learnt to have introduced Mannan to Shende and Mansure. Police said Mansure, who has an assault case and another for possessing liquor illegally, had purchased the country-made firearms, two magazines and 10 live cartridges jointly with Shende. Mansure had been a small-time bootlegger in the past, and had also earned a nickname of ‘Daruwala’.

Zonal DCP

Rakesh Ola

said in a press conference at Gittkhadan police station that the motives of Shende and Mansure would be clear in future investigation. “The custodial interrogation of the three accused would help us find out more about their dealings in depth. Mannan seems to have supplied firearms and ammunitions to more people through a mediator, but such details cannot be disclosed at this juncture,” he said.

Ola said Gittikhadan police squad of subinspector Sajid Ahmad, constables Yuvraj Dhole, Santosh Upadhyay, Sheikh Aftab and others, under supervision of Senior PI RN Waghmare were tipped off regarding Mannan landing in the city from Bihar to supply firearms and ammunitions. “Police will also find out from where Mannan procured the arms and ammunition to supply in the city. He was selling the country-made pistol for Rs20,000 after purchasing the same at Munger in Bihar for Rs15,000. Similarly, he was selling each live round for Rs350 in city after buying them at a rate of Rs280,” he said.