Kolkata, Jan 15 (IANS) A large quantity of firearms was recovered from Murshidabad district ahead of the state Assembly elections, police said on Thursday. The district police’s Special Operations Group arrested three people red-handed with the weapons.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Rafiqul Mandal, Kausar Ali and Sakirul Sheikh. Police recovered 300 rounds of ammunition, two improvised pistols, magazines and counterfeit Indian currency worth Rs 10,000 from the suspects.

The police have already begun questioning the three. The police suspect that the arrested men had gathered the weapons with the intention of smuggling them. However, the police are investigating to whom and for what purpose these firearms were being smuggled. They are also examining whether there is any link to sabotage behind the incident.

On Wednesday evening, police arrested the three near a private medical centre in the Subhashnagar area of Berhampore. According to police sources, they had received prior information about the movement of the suspects. Accordingly, police officers laid a trap in the area using confidential sources. As soon as the three arrived, the police arrested them red-handed.

Murshidabad Police District Additional Superintendent of Police Majid Iqbal Khan said: “Their main purpose was to exchange firearms and ammunition. Before they could do so, a joint operation led by Amit Bhakta, head of the district police’s Special Operations Group, along with police from Baharampur police station, resulted in the arrest of the three.”

According to police sources, the arrested Rafiqul Mandal is from the Islampur area and has several previous cases against him. It is also claimed that he is involved in a firearms trafficking ring. However, more details on the activities of the arrested men will emerge once the interrogation of the three is completed.

The development, however, raised serious questions over the rise of such activities in the district ahead of the crucial Assembly polls.

–IANS

sch/pgh