Agartala, January 18:
In a major crackdown on illegal trafficking, joint teams of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the state police recovered a loaded pistol and around 100 bottles of banned cough syrup from the possession of two youths from Bihar on Sunday.
Confirming the development, DIG Rati Ranjan Debnath said the accused were detained during a coordinated operation involving RPF personnel and plainclothes intelligence officials of the state police.
He added that during the search, police recovered a firearm—suspected to be a country-made pistol—along with two live bullets and a large consignment of contraband cough syrup bottles.
“The exact nature of the pistol, whether country-made or factory-made, will be confirmed only after forensic examination. The weapon will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL),” the DIG said.
The two youths were apprehended from the Rani Kamalabati Express after it arrived at the Agartala railway station.
They have been identified as Kartik Yadav and Amud, both residents of Bihar.
According to police, the suspects were under surveillance from Dharmanagar railway station. Intelligence and security teams continued to track their movement and cordoned them near Jogendranagar railway station, following which they were detained upon the train’s arrival in Agartala. Subsequent checking led to the recovery of the firearm and the banned cough syrup.
Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the seized items and to identify the individuals to whom the consignment was meant to be delivered.
DIG Debnath said cases under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act would be registered against the accused.
He also noted that with enhanced coordination between state police and railway authorities—particularly in strengthening intelligence networks—the success rate in curbing drug trafficking, arms smuggling and human trafficking has increased significantly in recent times.
