Bihar-bound ammunition consignment seized in Assam

Guwahati: Police on Monday seized a consignment of live bullets bound for Bihar from Hojai railway station in Assam's Nagaon district, an official said.

The consignment was procured from Dimapur and was being taken to Bihar in a Chennai-bound train, police said adding that one Dipu Kumar Gupta was arrested for carrying the contraband. Another carrier, identified as Pramod Yadav, however, managed to escape.

"The consignment included more than 990 rounds of live ammunition for AK rifles. There were two persons who were carrying the ammunition and one was caught during a routine raid," Nagaon Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar told IANS and added that a case has been registered against the two carriers.

"It is difficult to ascertain at this moment as to whom the consignment was being sent for. It could be some criminal gangs," said the SP. He, however, ruled out the hand of Maoist rebels in central Indian states as being behind the incident. "Interrogation is on and we hope to get some details soon," Mr Kumar said.

"The arrested carrier has confessed that the ammunition was being carried from Dimapur to Kishanganj in Bihar. The carriers are paid Rs.10,000 per consignment, if it successfully reaches the destination," said another senior police official in the district.

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