The National Investigation Agency (NIA), in a coordinated operation with the Bihar Special Task Force (STF), carried out search raids in Bihar's Nalanda district on Thursday. The action is part of an ongoing probe into a significant interstate illegal arms and ammunition trafficking network.
Locations Searched and Individuals Involved
The joint teams searched two specific residential locations during the operation. One raid was conducted at the house of Mohammad Parvez in Baradari Mohalla, which falls under the Bihar police station area. The other search took place at the residence of Rajendra Yadav in the Bhagan Bigha OP area. However, officials confirmed that no incriminating materials were found during these fresh searches.
Link to Major Past Ammunition Seizure
According to police sources, Thursday's raids are directly connected to a major crackdown conducted six months prior. On June 23 this year, a special operation by Nalanda police and the STF targeted illegal arms smugglers across multiple locations.
The key recoveries from that June operation were substantial:
- 717 live cartridges of various bores were seized from a rented house in Asha Nagar (Sohsarai police station area). The house was linked to Abhijit Kumar alias Robin Yadav.
- An additional 117 bullets were recovered from another house belonging to Robin Yadav located in Bhagan Bigha.
- During that operation, Abhijit's father, Rajendra Yadav, was arrested from the Bhagan Bigha location.
Recent Arrest and Escalation to NIA
The investigation gained fresh momentum with the recent arrest of the key suspect, Abhijit Kumar alias Robin Yadav. He was intercepted in Mohania in Kaimur district while returning from Uttar Pradesh. A search of his vehicle led to the staggering recovery of 3,700 live cartridges.
The discovery of such a large ammunition cache highlighted the scale and seriousness of the trafficking network. Due to the sensitivity of the case and its clear interstate connections, the Bihar STF formally handed over the investigation to the NIA. The federal agency has since been conducting an intensive probe to unravel the wider network.
Sadar SDPO Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal stated, "Six months ago, a large quantity of cartridges were recovered. The NIA team arrived here in connection with further investigation of the same case. Other details could be revealed by the NIA." The latest raids in Nalanda form a part of this expanded national investigation.
