Two arm peddlers held, 7 weapons seized

Two alleged arm-peddlers were arrested and seven firearms along with live cartridges seized from them ahead of civic body elections in Chhattsigarh's Bilaspur district, police said today.
Based on a specific input, Vivek Pandey (25) and Shankar Shrivastava (25) were apprehended yesterday near Deendayal Garden in Bilaspur town, Superintendent of Police BN Meena said.
"Six country-made pistols, an automated pistol and two live cartridges were recovered from their possession," he said.
Following a tip-off that Pandey, originally from Bihar and presently living here in Torwa area, had brought firearms from his native place and was looking for customers with the help of his friend Shankar, who stays in Bilaspur, a police team swung into action.

A trap was laid by police and the duo was nabbed and the weapons were seized, he said.
During interrogation, the duo confessed to procuring firearms from Bihar and bringing here for making easy money by selling it in view of the elections, the SP said.
A case has been registered under sections 25 and 27 of Arms Act against them and further probe is on, he said.
Chhattisgarh will have two-phase polls to 154 civic bodies on December 29 and 31.