PATNA: The special cell of Patna police on Tuesday arrested
Manzar Alam, the prime accused of smuggling
AK-47 assault rifles from Central Ordnance Depot (COD) at Jabalpur in
Madhya Pradesh and supplying to the Maoists in
Bihar. A semi-automatic country-made pistol was also recovered from his possession.
Manzar was arrested from a lodge under the Buddha Colony police station area in Patna. He was living there with a different name.
Fourteen people, including Manzar, have been arrested and 20 AK-47s besides more than 500 spare parts seized in Munger since August 29.
“Manzar confessed he had sold several AK-47s to Maoists through middlemen in Gaya, Aurangabad and some other districts after procuring the rifles from one Mohammad Shamsher,” Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj told TOI. However, the SSP refused to reveal the names of those who had purchased AK-47s from Manzar. “It will hamper investigation,” he said, adding Munger police would take him on remand. He said Manzar has been smuggling arms since 2001.
“In April 2014, police had seized huge amount of ammunition, including those used in AK-47s, from a fuel tank of an Ambassador car under the Jakkanpur police station area in Patna. Manzar was accused in that case too but evaded arrest,” the SSP said, adding one Niranjan Mishra was arrested in that case.
Manzar was in the crosshairs of Munger police since three AK-47s with spare parts were recovered from the possession of Mohammad Imran Alam at Wadhwa village in Munger on August 29.
Munger SP Baburam said Manzar is one of the prime arms smugglers who have sold AK-47 rifles smuggled from the Jabalpur COD.