Two arrested for possession of firearms

Two men were arrested by the Thane police for allegedly possessing firearms, live cartridges, a sword and other lethal weapons, an official said on Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off, the police laid a trap for one of the accused, Suresh alias Surya Ayakutti Thevar (30), near the APMC market in Thane district's Kalyan town and nabbed him in the early hours of Friday, the official said.

The police seized a country-made pistol and four rounds from Thevar, he added.

Further verification revealed that Thevar was a history-sheeter with several criminal offences registered against him in suburban Bhandup police station and in the state of Tamil Nadu, he said.

On questioning, Thevar revealed that he had kept some firearms with the second accused Pravin Lahoria, the official said, adding that at Lahoria's home at Titwala in Maharashtra's Thane district, the police found a country-made pistol with four rounds and a country-made revolver with three rounds.

The police also seized a sword and two knives from Thevar's hideout in Baneli, Titwala.

Offences under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act and Maharashtra Police Act have been registered against the accused, senior inspector Yeshwant Chavan of the Bazarpeth police station, Kalyan said.

The duo was produced before the local magistrate, who remanded them to police custody till November 4, he added.