With the arrest of an alleged member of an interstate illegal arms smuggling network in Gorakhpur, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) claimed to have exposed a supply chain where pistols sourced from Madhya Pradesh were allegedly sold in eastern Uttar Pradesh at a profit of ₹ 15,000-20,000 per weapon.
The subsequent intelligence-gathering exercise led investigators to Tripathi’s alleged role in procuring weapons from Burhanpur and supplying them to buyers in Gorakhpur and neighbouring districts. The accused, identified as Ritesh Dutt Tripathi alias Bolbam Tripathi alias Abhishek Pandit alias Chhotu, son of Anil Dutt Tripathi, a resident of Mirzapur district, was arrested on Monday evening from a road leading towards Kachahari bus station in the Gorakhpur Cantonment area, the STF said, adding that two .32-bore pistols with two magazines and a live cartridge, along with a mobile phone, Aadhaar card, driving licence, PAN card, SIM card and two ATM cards were recovered from him, according to the STF. The three allegedly shared the proceeds from the arms trade, with the weapons being sold at a profit of ₹ 15,000-20,000 each, officials said, adding that Tripathi’s role came to light during an earlier operation conducted by the STF in Gorakhpur on September 14-15, when five alleged members of the same interstate arms-smuggling gang were arrested and five illegal pistols recovered. A case has been registered against Tripathi at the Cantonment police station in Gorakhpur under relevant provisions of the Arms Act and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Further legal proceedings are being conducted by the local police, according to the STF. Acting on the information, the STF field unit in Gorakhpur arrested him on Monday.
