Arms Dealers Arrested: How Illegal Weapons Reached Terror Associate

Two inter-state arms dealers have been arrested in Uttarakhand for allegedly supplying illegal weapons to a terror associate linked to the Al Badr group, sparking a wider investigation into terror financing and arms smuggling.

Photograph: Reuters

Key Points

Two inter-state arms dealers arrested in Udham Singh Nagar for allegedly supplying weapons to a terror associate.
The accused allegedly supplied arms to Rehan Mir, an overground worker for Al Badr, in 2021.
Police recovered rifles, pistols, a revolver, and ammunition from the suspects' vehicle.
Investigation revealed suspicious financial transactions involving bank accounts in Jammu and Kashmir.
Police are investigating a wider network of terror financing and illegal arms smuggling.

The Udham Singh Nagar police has arrested two inter-state illegal arms dealers for allegedly supplying weapons to a Jammu and Kashmir-based terror associate, officials said on Friday.

The accused, Harendar Singh alias Honey, a resident of Sitarganj, and Nikhil Verma alias Ranu, both aged 27, had allegedly supplied arms to Al Badr's overground worker (OGW), Rehan Mir alias Irfan Mir in 2021, they said.

Udham Singh Nagar SSP Ajay Ganpati said that during a search operation in SIDKUL phase II on Wednesday, police stopped a white Swift car without a license plate, and recovered two rifles, two pistols, one revolver and 344 cartridges from the vehicle.

During interrogation, the accused told the police that they planned to hide the illegal arms in the jungle of Chorgalia, the SSP said.

Ganpati said that an examination of the accused's mobile numbers and bank accounts also revealed that suspicious financial transactions were taking place involving various bank accounts in Jammu and Kashmir, including Rehan.

He said a case was also registered against Rehan and Honey by the Delhi Police Special Cell, in which both are wanted.

The SSP said police are collecting more information about Rehan and have briefed the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Delhi Police on the development.

Police said the accused also revealed that Indrajit Sandhu, a Pulbhatta resident, and Pawan Sandhu are the kingpins in the matter, adding that efforts are underway to arrest them.

A case under the Arms Act has been registered, and an investigation into the suspected network of terror financing and illegal arms smuggling is underway, they said.

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