TEZPUR, July 21: Seven people were arrested after arms and ammunition were recovered from their possession during an operation to thwart an attempt to form a criminal gang for carrying out illegal activities in Assam’s Sonitpur district on Monday, a top police official said.
A camp of the criminals at Tharaibil on the foothills bordering Arunachal Pradesh was also destroyed, he said.
Sonitpur Senior Superintendent of Police Barun Purkayastha said that the operation was conducted by a special team led by the Dhekiajuli police.
“It was a crackdown on the criminals who were trying to form themselves into a gang to carry out activities such as dacoity and extortion,” he said.
He said raids were conducted at two places since Sunday night, leading to the recovery of a cache of arms and ammunition, including two 7.65 mm pistols, 16 rounds of live ammunition, two country-made rifles and two ‘khukris’ (knives).
While five people were apprehended in the raids, two others who had escaped were arrested during the day with the help of police from neighbouring districts, the SSP said.
“A makeshift camp at the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh at Tharaibil, near Sopai river, was also destroyed,” Purkayastha added. (PTI)