Firearms seized in Tripura from Agartala-Firozpur Express at the Agartala Station
Agartala May 8: In a significant security operation, the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Tripura recovered eight pistols and 16 empty magazines from two unclaimed bags aboard a train. So far, no arrests have been made in connection with the seizure.
The arms haul was found during a routine inspection by RPF personnel on the Agartala-Firozpur Express, which arrived at Agartala Railway Station in the early hours of Thursday. As the train pulled into the station, the RPF team initiated a detailed search and came across two unattended bags in one of the coaches.
According to Assistant Commandant of the RPF, BK Sinha, “After the suspicious bags were located, GRP officers and RPF personnel at the station were immediately informed. Upon inspection, we found eight firearms and 16 magazines inside the bags.”
Following the recovery, a formal case was registered at the Government Railway Police Station. “There were no passengers nearby who could be linked to the bags. Only a few elderly individuals were present in the coach, and they were preparing to disembark,” Sinha told the media.
In response to the incident, Additional Director General of Police Anurag Dhankar visited the railway station to review the situation.
Providing additional insights, Officer-in-Charge of the GRP station, Tapas Das, stated, “Apart from the weapons, the bags also contained clothing and personal care items. Our initial findings suggest that the pistols are factory-manufactured and closely resemble standard 9 mm service revolvers. These weapons are capable of inflicting deadly harm if handled by someone trained. However, no live ammunition was discovered in the bags.”
Das further mentioned that an investigation is already in motion, with security footage from the station’s CCTV system being analyzed. He added that the nature of the weapons and the manner of their arrival point toward a potentially malicious objective behind their transportation.
Police sources revealed that directives have been issued to intensify security measures on long-distance trains. Special search operations have been mandated, and no train will be allowed to depart without a comprehensive security check.
This development has raised serious concerns over possible illegal arms trafficking routes through Tripura, prompting authorities to tighten surveillance and enhance security protocols across the railway network in the state.
Meantime, IANS reports: In a significant step toward strengthening border security and ensuring the safety of railway assets and passengers of the Northeast Frontier Railway, the RPF, in close coordination with the GRP and the BSF, has started conducting joint patrolling in the sensitive areas along the India-Bangladesh border.
NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma had said that the joint patrolling was aimed at enhancing surveillance and deterring any untoward incidents along railway tracks that run close to international boundaries. He said that the joint patrolling was carried out across various divisions under the NFR, with a special focus on sectors adjoining the India-Bangladesh border. The collaborative efforts were undertaken with a spirit of inter-agency coordination and vigilance, the CPRO had said.
The NFR operates in the northeastern states and seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar.
Tripura, which has an 856 km border with Bangladesh, is surrounded on three sides by the neighbouring country. Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas are often detained in the Agartala railway station as they, after illegally crossing the India-Bangladesh border, try to go to other parts of India in search of jobs and other purposes.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has earlier intensified surveillance along the India-Bangladesh border using the latest electronic gadgets.
