Ahead of Independence Day, explosives seized in Delhi, terror suspects nabbed in Bengaluru

Ahead of the Independence Day, a huge cache of arms and ammunition have been seized from two places in the national capital.

File photo (PTI)

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, the authorities have seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition from two places in national capital while a suspected Bangladeshi terrorist was nabbed in Bengaluru.

According to reports, a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including carbines and cartridges, were recovered from two suspected arms peddlers in two separate operations by the Delhi Police late on Thursday.

The two accused have been identified as Mohammad Azimuddin Sheikh lias Azim, a resident of Malda in West Bengal and Soyyam alias Aas Mohammad, a resident of Shamli in Uttar Pradesh.

Sharing details of the police action with media, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said, ''Soyyam was arrested from Singhola village on GT Karnal road on Thursday while Azim was arrested earlier this week from northwest Delhi.''

The accused were involved in supplying arms to Delhi-based criminals for the last four-five years, the official said.

With just few days left to the Independence Day, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has been keeping a tight vigil on the movement of arms suppliers and those with suspected terror links. The recovery of the arms and ammunition leading to the arrest of the two suspects is part of our vigit, the officer said.

''The Special Cell has launched a drive against supply of illegal firearms in Delhi from other parts of the country. Concerted efforts have led to busting of several gun selling rackets and seizure of huge cache of sophisticated/semi-automatic weapons,'' the officer said. 

According to the DCP, the teams of the Special Cell have successfully busted two interstate gun-selling rackets with the recovery of large cache of arms and ammunition from the accused. 
Azim was arrested by one of the teams of the Special Cell on August 6 following a tip-off, he said.

Azim along with Akil had come to deliver the huge consignment of illegal firearms to Hazi Kayum in Delhi. Following specific inputs, a team laid a trap at the vantage points near Tara Chowk, Dheerpur in northwest Delhi here, the officer said.

Around 11.55 am, Azim was found waiting for Kayum, carrying two trolley bags. He was subsequently overpowered and nabbed. From the trolley bags two automatic sophisticated carbines, 38 pistols and 50 live cartridges concealed in clothes and newspapers were recovered, the ACP said.

Another team of the Special Cell nabbed Soyyam, a key member of arms supplier syndicate of Kairana (UP) from near CNG station in village Singhola near GT Karnal road, added the DCP.

Twelve sophisticated .32 bore pistols and 19 magazines were recovered from his bag, the DCP said.

During interrogation, it came to light that after the police crackdown in Bihar's Munger, the arms manufacturers have shifted their base to West Bengal and weapons are being manufactured at different places.

The weapons manufactured in West Bengal are being supplied in Delhi and its neighbouring areas.

The DCP said raids are being conducted to nab more associates of the arrested duo.

In a related incident, the Army too seized a large quantity of arms and explosive materials, including 7 firearms, 14 grenades and 401 rounds, during a search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Thursday.

Army troops discovered the weapons during a search operation in the Chapriyan-KP Nala area of Mandi tehsil, a defence spokesperson said.

The recoveries include four 9mm pistols with seven magazines and 31 rounds, four carrying bags, one AK-56 rifle (with sling) along with three loaded magazines, one 7.62mm rifle of foreign origin, one revolver, 14 hand grenades and one AK-47 Bayonet, he added.

Meanwhile, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) has arrested a suspected member of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh in Bengaluru.

The arrest was made a day after the NIA nabbed the outfit's top leader Mohammed Jahidul Islam, wanted in several terror cases.

29-year old Adil Alias Assadullah, a resident of a village in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, was arrested near the Cantonment Railway station on August 7 in connection with the bomb blast at Kalchakra Maidan in Bodh Gaya on January 19, the NIA said in a statement.

He is believed to be the close associate of Jahidul Islam, who was arrested by an NIA team from nearby Ramanagara.

Assadullah was produced before an NIA special court which granted transit remand for being taken to Patna.

(With PTI inputs)