Arms smugglers, including 2 IM cadres held
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Dimapur, November 12 2013: Seven arm smugglers including two NSCN-IM cadres have been arrested by the Assam Rifles and seized a huge cache of arms from them today in Dimapur.

The Assam Rifles said, based on specific input from the headquarters of 6 Sector Assam Rifles, operations were undertaken by 29 Assam Rifles alongwith Dimapur police in various localities of Dimapur city namely Burma Camp, Eros Lane, Dhansiri, Darogajan and Chumukedima.

According to the Assam Rifles, during these operations, an arms dealer named Mr Sanjay Kumar who was in possession of eight pistols was arrested.

An assortment of guns seized

Based on his information, some others involved in this racket were also apprehended, including one NSCN (IM) cadre named Mr John Longthasa who had come to Dhansiri to sell one Berretta pistol and two magazines to Mr Sanjay Sharma, Mrs Mary, around 70 years of age in possession of one AK series rifle, one suspected lady cadre of NSCN (IM) who was working with Mr Sanjay Sharma and Mr Rajesh Gupta, a relative of Mr Sanjay Sharma and resident of Bareilly.

Three other persons supporting the racket were also apprehended from different locations.

The Assam Rifles also said based on information given by Mr Sanjay, Mrs Awon Angkang, the lady cadre of NSCN (IM) was located at Chumukedima in Dimapur.

When the vehicle in which she was travelling in was searched, Mrs Mary aged 70 years 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 Mrs Awon Angkang to save herself.

The Assam Rifles further said the Berretta, which was brought by the NSCN (IM) cadre named Mr John Longthasa was identical to the other three Berettas with similar tags that were recovered from Mr 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.