STF nabs smuggler,finds cache of arms

Allahabad: A joint team of Special Task Force (Allahabad unit) and Meja police on Wednesday arrested a key smuggler of an inter-state illegal arms gang. Alongwith the arrest of Ramesh Chandra Mishra, police also recovered two revolvers of 0.32 bore, one pistol of 0.32 bore, two country-made pistols of 0.315 bore and a country-made pistol of 0.12 bore along with several live cartridges, one mobile set and cash.
Deputy SP (STF) Pravin Singh Chauhan said the smuggler was planning to move towards Saidabad area after crossing Ganga river to supply a consignment of illegal weapons. A joint team of STF and Mela police cordoned the area near Sirsa bazar and arrested him.
He added that Mishra had been involved in illegal arms smuggling to various parts of the state since 1991 with his accomplices including Ravi Nutt and Inspector Tiwari, both residents of Shukulpur.
The DSP said one Rinku Tiwari, son of Inspector Tiwari, along with Ravi Nutt had smuggled illegal weapons from Khandwa (MP) and Munger (Bihar) to many districts of UP.
For the past year, the smugglers had been avoiding the Khandwa route because of police vigil and had shifted their base towards Utari (Jharkhand).
Police, however, said Nutt was currently at Naini central jail while Tiwari was absconding. Police have already announced a Rs 10,000 cash reward on Rinku's head. They're also on the lookout for one Kamlesh Singh, a resident of Meja, involved in the same trade.
Police also claimed that Jharkhand-based Karimuddin was the key supplier of illegal weapons.