Man carrying Italian-made pistol, contraband substance held

: A 21-year-old man was on Saturday arrested here for illegal possession of an Italian-made pistol and four bullets, police said.

Besides, 19 gm of contraband substance was seized from a car in which the accused and two others were travelling, they said.

Muhammed Sakkib, hailing from Kozhikode and claiming to be a college student, was taken into custody during a routine vehicle-check in the wee hours, the police said.

The two others fled the scene, they said.

Sakkib claimed he did not know anything about the pistol or the substance. He said he had come as his friends had called him, a police officer said.

A case was registered against him under various sections of the Arms Act and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, he said adding that a hunt is on to catch the two at large.