Weapons racket busted‚ two nabbed

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

LALITPUR: Police have uncovered a racket dealing in illegal arms in Lalitpur leading to the arrest of two people with an unloaded countrymade pistol.

On Thursday, a team from the Metropolitan Police Range, Lalitpur, arrested Dhan Bahadur Lama (31) of Makwanpur with a pistol in his rented room at Tadhoka. Based on Lama's statement that he had obtained the small arm from Dipesh Thapa Magar (23) of Lalitpur, police arrested Magar (23) from his house yesterday.

"Lama said during interrogation that he bought the pistol from Magar, but he is yet to reveal the amount he paid for it. A preliminary investigation suggests that the two used to supply arms to crime syndicates," a police officer said.

Gunrunners often smuggle countrymade pistols into the Kathmandu Valley from the Tarai districts bordering India. Police said they are trying to establish the nexus of the two with criminal gangs.

"Circumstantial evidence also suggests the involvement of Lama and Magar in past crimes. We are launching a thorough probe into the illegal business of the two," the official claimed without elaborating.

Police are preparing to press charges against the two under the Arms and Ammunition Act.

According to Lalitpur police officials, the two are among the 40 people they have taken into custody for drug trafficking, possession of illegal arms, theft and some public offences on different dates.

Soldier held with 32 bullets

KATHMANDU: Police on Saturday raided the rented room of a Nepali Army soldier -- Raju BK Directorate of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers -- in Thimi and arrested BK with 32 bullets of 9mm calibre. Officials said the case is under investigation.