Agartala: Tripura police sent a three member’s team to Aizawl Saturday morning following a major arms haul by Mizoram police and Assam Rifles Friday near Aizawl airport.
Inspector General of Police (Control) Nepal Das told media the initial investigation revealed that the arms were supposed to be transported to Tripura for some underground outfit.
“Out of three detainees, two are the residents of Kanchanpur of Tripura and another is from Bangladesh, which promoted us to believe that the consignment is for the state,” Mr Das said, adding that Mizoram had become the corridor of arms carrying from Myanmar.
He, however, stated in a joint operation, Mizoram police seized 31 AK-47 assault rifles, one Singapore made LMG and 1 US-made Browning Automatic Rifle, 809 rounds of ammunition and 32 magazines from a farmhouse near Lengpui Airport in Aizawl on Friday.
Tripura police have been informed immediately after the seizure by Mizoram counterpart and stated that acting on a tip- off they seized 23 AK-47 rifles, 1 LMG and 1 Browning rifle on March 7 night and in another seizure was made Friday after interrogation of the three detainees, suspected to be members of a militant outfit in Bangladesh.
The militants, who reportedly smuggled the arms from Myanmar, belonged to the Chakma community and claimed to be members of a faction of Shanti Bahini in Bangladesh; Mizoram police report said adding that they intended to take the arms across the border to Bangladesh for their cadres.
Three detainees have been identified as Rabi Chakma, Sabuj Chakma and Moni Tripura and first two were the resident of Tripura. They are having close link with outlawed outfits of Tripura.
The arms and ammunition were found hidden inside the switch box of a transformer and the accused persons were caught from an under-construction house, report added. (UNI)