Amritsar Rural Police Arrest Four, Recover M-16 Rifle, Nine Pistols and 15 Kg Opium

Amritsar Rural Police have arrested four people and claimed to have dismantled two illegal arms and narcotics supply networks, recovering 15 kg of opium, an M-16 rifle, nine pistols and 25 live cartridges, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Saturday.

The recoveries were made during two separate operations. Police also seized an HF Deluxe motorcycle allegedly used by the accused in criminal activities. According to the DGP, preliminary investigations suggest that the arrested individuals were procuring illegal weapons through foreign-based smugglers.

Those arrested in the first operation were identified as Malkit Singh alias Meeta, 32, a resident of Manj village in Amritsar, and his brother-in-law Gurjit Singh, 32, a resident of Sarangra village.

The second operation led to the arrest of Amritpal Singh, 26, and Satnam Singh, 29, both residents of Kakkar Kalan village in Amritsar.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said further investigation was underway to establish the networks’ backward and forward linkages and identify other people involved in the alleged illegal activities.

Inspector General of Police, Border Range, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said a police team from Gharinda police station apprehended Malkit Singh and Gurjit Singh following reliable inputs.

A search led to the recovery of 15 kg of opium and a modified, US-made M-16 rifle, he said.

According to the IGP, preliminary investigation indicated that the two accused owned around 10 to 15 acres of agricultural land adjoining the barbed-wire fence along the India-Pakistan border. Police suspect the land was being used to receive consignments from across the border.

In the second operation, a special team from the Special Cell intercepted Amritpal Singh and Satnam Singh near Dana Mandi in Lopoke.

Police recovered five foreign-made pistols from them at the spot. Four additional pistols were subsequently recovered during questioning, taking the total seizure to nine pistols and 25 live cartridges.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Amritsar Rural, Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal said the recovered weapons comprised two Zigana pistols, six .30-bore pistols and one .32-bore pistol.

He added that Amritpal Singh was already facing a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act registered at Chheharta police station.

SSP Chahal said police had identified another alleged associate and teams were conducting raids to arrest the absconder.

Two separate cases have been registered in connection with the recoveries. FIR No. 424, dated September 29, 2026, was registered at Gharinda police station under Sections 18-C and 29 of the NDPS Act and Section 25(8) of the Arms Act.

FIR No. 310, also dated September 29, 2026, was registered at Lopoke police station under Section 25(8) of the Arms Act and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Police said the investigation was continuing to trace the alleged supply networks and establish the involvement of other suspects.