The duo, Pradeep (27) from Perambur and his associate Kamal (27) from Thiurumangalam told the police that a Puzhal jail inmate, Mohamed Rafeeq, against whom NIA and CB-CID cases are pending, had helped them with contacts to procure the contraband. This is the fourth consignment of guns that the duo had brought to Chennai. They were supposed to hand over the guns to one Satheesh and the police are on the lookout for him. Earlier, the duo had bought five guns and counterfeit notes (face value of Rs 10 lakh).

The police received a tipoff about the duo travelling on the Guwahati – Chennai – Thiruvananthapuram train and consequently a team led by Vepery inspector Veerakumar boarded the train a little before it reached Tamil Nadu.

When the train reached Thiruvottriyur, somebody pulled the chain to make an emergency stop at 8.15 am. The duo then got off the train and were followed by the team and consequently nabbed at gunpoint.

The police then searched their bags and found five pistols, 25 bullets, counterfeit currency notes and narcotics. The suspects were brought to the Vepery police station where ‘Q’ branch sleuths, counterfeit currency team from CBCID, along with officials of organised crime intelligence unit interrogated them. 

Police said that Pradeep was a dealer of stolen cellphones and was arrested for snatching a chain in 2016. While in jail, he met Rafeeq and even after coming out of jail, remained in touch with him, police said. Pradeep told the police that he had paid Rs 1.5 lakh for five guns and bullets and got the fake notes after paying Rs 1 lakh. It may be recalled that in August 2017, four gunrunners hiding in a hotel at Triplicane were arrested by the police and a 9 mm pistol and several bullets were seized from them.