Illegal weapons factory busted in Barpeta char

Gun-runners from Bihar's Munger district held, jihadi angle being probed

Our Bureau

Guwahati/ Barpeta, Nov 28: In yet another indication that Barpeta is sitting on a powder keg, an illegal arms and ammunition factory was today busted by police at a char in the lower Assam district.

The factory was reportedly set up with the help of crimils from Bihar. But police are also investigating links with fundamentalist elements.

A police team led by superintendent of police Siladitya Chetia raided the unit at No 4 Bheragaon under Baghbar police station last night and seized 10 hand-made pistols, two double-barrel guns and tools for making arms and ammunitions.

Four persons, including two from Bihar, were arrested during the operation. They were identified as Mahar Ali alias Sadhu (40) of Bheragaon, Manik Ali of Baghbar (45), resh Pal (50) and Neeraj Kumar (24) of Bihar's Munger district. Munger district is infamous for country-made weapons.

 The factory was located at Mahar Ali's residence.

Police sources admitted that the riverine areas in the State have become a haven for crimils. "There could be more such factories in lower and central Assam," the sources said.

Barpeta came to prominence after the Burdwan blasts linked to a Jammat-ul Mujahiddin Bangladesh (JMB) module. The kingpin of the Assam module of JMB - Sahanur Alom - and a few others associated, were arrested from Barpeta.

A couple of months back, Chirang police had busted a jihadi training camp at Daukhagar and had identified the main kingpin as one Ashique alias Burabhai of Barpeta. Police is still hunting for him. At least nine people from Barpeta were undergoing training in the camp.