In a significant breakthrough, the Cachar district police in Assam intercepted a potential arms smuggling racket, arresting two individuals and seizing a cache of firearms and ammunition near the Mizoram border. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, raising concerns about possible insurgent activity in the region.
Routine Check Turns Into Major Bust
The arrests were made during a standard naka check or roadblock conducted by police personnel stationed near the Dholakhal border outpost. Officers stopped a vehicle that was entering Assam from the Mizoram side. Upon conducting a thorough search of the vehicle, the police team made a startling discovery.
They recovered two pistols of different calibres—a .32 calibre pistol and a 7.65mm pistol. Along with the weapons, the police also found magazines and five rounds of 7.65mm live ammunition. The immediate seizure prevented the arms from reaching their intended destination.
Identities and Alleged Destination Revealed
The two accused have been identified as residents of neighbouring northeastern states. Hmargaihzuol Hmar (26) hails from Tlangnuam Part in Aizawl district, Mizoram. His accomplice, Lalkhumlien Hmar (38), is from Lamabhutangkhal in Imphal East district, Manipur.
Preliminary police investigations suggest that the seized arms were allegedly being smuggled to the Hmarkhawlien area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Lakhipur Police Station in Cachar district itself. This indicates a planned local distribution of the illegal weapons.
Police Probe Insurgency and Smuggling Angles
Speaking on the development, Cachar Superintendent of Police Partha Pratim Das provided crucial insights. He stated that it was premature to definitively ascertain the exact motive behind the smuggling operation. However, he pointed to a known pattern in the region.
“Such weapons often originate from across the Myanmar border and are usually meant for illegal sale,” Das remarked. While highlighting the common black-market trade, the SP did not dismiss a more serious threat. He confirmed that a possible insurgent link could not be ruled out, though he stressed that the investigations were still in a preliminary stage.
The successful interception near the inter-state border underscores the ongoing challenges of controlling the flow of illegal arms in India's northeastern frontier, an area with a complex history of insurgency and cross-border smuggling networks.
