Joint operation leads to seizure of loaded pistol, live ammunition and nearly 100 bottles of contraband cough syrup; NDPS and Arms Act cases to be filed
In a significant blow to illegal drug trafficking and arms smuggling, joint teams of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Tripura Police detained two youths from Bihar and seized a firearm along with nearly 100 bottles of banned cough syrup at Agartala railway station on Sunday.
Confirming the operation, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rati Ranjan Debnath said the arrests were made following coordinated surveillance by RPF personnel and plainclothes intelligence officers of the state police.
During the search, police recovered a pistol—suspected to be country-made—along with two live bullets and a substantial quantity of contraband cough syrup bottles. The accused were identified as Kartik Yadav and Amud, both residents of Bihar.
“The exact nature of the firearm, whether country-made or factory-manufactured, will be confirmed after forensic examination. The weapon will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL),” DIG Debnath said.
According to police sources, the suspects were kept under surveillance from Dharmanagar railway station. Security teams tracked their movement and cordoned them near Jogendranagar railway station before detaining them upon the arrival of the Rani Kamalabati Express at Agartala. A subsequent search led to the recovery of the firearm and the banned cough syrup.
Further investigation is underway to determine the source of the seized items and to identify the intended recipients of the consignment. DIG Debnath said cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Arms Act will be registered against the accused.
He added that enhanced coordination between the state police and railway authorities, particularly through strengthened intelligence networks, has significantly improved enforcement against drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and human trafficking in recent times.
