Agartala, Nov 25 — Tripura Police have intensified interrogation of three suspected arms smugglers, including an alleged supplier from Bihar, who were arrested on Monday night after the recovery of two small firearms and four magazines during routine patrolling in Agartala. Senior police and intelligence officials continued questioning the trio on Tuesday to uncover details of the inter-state smuggling network and the intended recipients of the weapons.
A police official said the three accused were produced before a local court, which remanded them to five days of police custody. Investigators suspect that the firearms may have been destined for smuggling across the border into Bangladesh, a pattern seen in several previous cases.
The arrests were made when the Officer-in-Charge of Arundhuti Nagar Police Station noticed suspicious movement near the Bandeshwar bridge area on the bypass road during routine patrol. Upon inspection, officers recovered two firearms, four magazines, and three mobile phones from the suspects.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Tinku Debbarma (35) and Sumenda Debbarma (40) from Barkathal in West Tripura, and Sibash Kumar (29) of Dumeria Khurd in Bihar, who allegedly brought the weapons into the state earlier that day. Superintendent of Police (West Tripura) Namit Pathak said a case has been registered under the Arms Act, and preliminary investigation confirms the weapons originated from Bihar.
“Only after further interrogation can we determine how the arms reached here, the purpose behind the smuggling, and the intended recipients,” Pathak said.
Police sources noted that the Arundhuti Nagar area, near Agartala railway station, has emerged as a hotspot for arms trafficking. Several arrests in recent years have involved illegal weapons transported via train routes, particularly from Nagaland.
Earlier on May 8, the GRP and RPF recovered eight pistols and 16 empty magazines from the Tripura Sundari Express at Agartala railway station, underscoring ongoing concerns about arms smuggling into the state.
