Moga Police Arrest Two, Seize Illegal Arms; Probe Links Accused to Pakistan Handler

In a significant crackdown, the Moga police have apprehended two individuals and confiscated five illegal weapons along with ammunition during a targeted operation. The preliminary investigation has uncovered that one of the arrested accused, Lakhwinder Singh, was allegedly operating under the direction of a handler based in Pakistan.

Operation Details and Arrests

According to official sources, a team from the CIA (Crime Investigation Agency) was stationed behind the Kotkapura bypass flyover when they received a crucial tip-off. The information indicated that two persons were spotted with weapons on the Moga-Jalandhar highway, specifically near Delhi Colony. Acting swiftly, the police party reached the location and successfully arrested the duo.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Lakhwinder Singh, aged 20, and Nishan Singh, aged 32. From their possession, the police recovered a cache of five weapons, which included:

Three pistols of .30 bore, each accompanied by a magazine.
One pistol of .32 bore with a magazine.
One 9 mm Glock pistol equipped with two magazines.

Investigation and Legal Action

Moga SP (Investigations) Bal Krishan Singla confirmed the findings, stating that the preliminary investigation reveals Lakhwinder Singh was working at the behest of a Pakistan-based handler. This connection has raised serious concerns about cross-border criminal activities. In response, an FIR under the Arms Act has been formally registered at PS City Moga to ensure legal proceedings are initiated against the accused.

Separate Incident in Bathinda

In a related development, the Bathinda Police conducted a separate operation resulting in the arrest of a man from Rajgarh Kubbe village in Bathinda. The police recovered nine weapons from his possession, which included eight country-made pistols of .32 bore and one of .30 bore. The arrested individual was identified as Maninder Singh.

Bathinda DSP City-2 Sandeep Singh Bhaati addressed the media on Friday, explaining that police received a tip late Thursday about a man under suspicious circumstances spotted at the Cantt Ring Road. Following this, the suspect was detained, and a case has been registered at the Civil Lines police station.

These incidents highlight the ongoing efforts by Punjab police to combat illegal arms trafficking and maintain law and order in the region.