AR busts arms smuggling racket
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Dimapur, November 12 2013:
Seven arm smugglers including two NSCN-IM cadres were arrested by Assam Rifles and also seized the weapons from them today in Dimapur.
Assam Rifles sources said that based on specific input from the headquarter of 6 Sector Assam Rifles, operations were undertaken by 29 Assam Rifles along with Dimapur police in various localities of Dimapur city including Burma Camp, Eros Lane, Dhansiri, Darogajan and Chumukedima.
During these operations, an arm-dealer named Sanjay Kumar, who was in possession of eight pistols, was arrested.
Based on his disclosure, some others involved in this racket including one NSCN (IM) cadre named John Longthasa, who had come to Dhansiri to sell one Berretta pistol and two magazines to Sanjay Sharma, one suspected lady cadre of the Naga outfit named Mary, around 70 years of age and was in possession of one AK series rifle and was working with Sanjay Sharma and another person named Rajesh Gupta, a relative of Sanjay Sharma and resident of Bareilly, were also apprehended.
Subsequently, three other persons supporting the racket were also apprehended from different locations.
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The Assam Rifles sources further said that based on the information given by Sanjay, Awon Angkang, a lady cadre of NSCN (IM) was located at Chumukedima in Dimapur.
When the vehicle in which Awon was travelling in was searched, Mary, who was travelling in the same vehicle, was found in possession of one AK series rifle.
It seems near impossible that a senior citizen would be involved in weapon smuggling and in all likelihood, this weapon must have been handed over to her by Awon Angkang to save herself.
The Assam Rifles further said that the Berretta, which was brought by the NSCN (IM) cadre named John Longthasa was identical to the other three Berettas with similar tags that were recovered from Sanjay Sharma.
In all nine pistols and one AK series rifle were recovered by the AR personnel.
Out of these ten weapons, seven pistols i.e., four Berettas, two Llamas and one Astra are brand new and were to be smuggled out to other parts of country by Mr Rajesh Gupta, the so called brother in law of Mr Sanjay Sharma, the Assam Rifles stated.
"The busting of this pan India arms smuggling racket by the Assam Rifles has resulted in a major setback to the anti national forces.
It is a stellar achievement towards maintaining peace and normalcy in Nagaland as well as the rest of the country," the Assam Rifles added.