08 May,2025 11:21 PM IST | Agartala | mid-day online correspondent
The alert RPF personnel recovered eight handmade iron pistols and sixteen magazines during a routine check on Thursday. Pic/WR
Eight factory-made pistols were seized from Tripura Sundari Express train by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel at Agartala railway station on Thursday, an official said.
An official statement said that amid heightened national security concerns, the Railway Protection Force escort team onboard Train No. 14620 UP Tripura Sundari Express made a significant recovery, averting a threat to public safety.
It said that acting on strict directives to enhance vigilance during escort duties, the alert RPF personnel recovered eight handmade iron pistols and sixteen magazines during a routine check on Thursday.
It further said that the cache of illegal weapons was discovered concealed inside two abandoned pithu bags lying suspiciously on the upper berth of a general coach while the train was en route from Badarpur to Agartala.
"During routine duty, two RPF jawans were checking the express train at Agartala railway station around 4 am. In the course of checking, they found two unclaimed bags in a general compartment. On being searched, eight pistols with 16 empty magazines were found in two bags," officer-in-charge of Agartala GRP police station, Tapas Das, said in a press conference, according to the PTI.
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He said Director General (DG), Intelligence (state police) Anurag visited the railway station following the arms recovery from the train.
"A specific case has been registered against unknown persons in connection with the arms recovery. We will investigate the case thoroughly to zero in on those involved in arms smuggling. The GRP will also seek help from other security agencies," he said, as per the PTI.
The escort team, part of the Agartala RPF Post, immediately took swift and decisive action upon noticing the unattended luggage. On inspection, they discovered eight handmade pistols and sixteen magazines, carefully wrapped in brown cello tape, pointing to a likely attempt at illicit arms smuggling, it said.
"The recovered weapons have been safely transported to RPF Post Agartala and the case has been handed over to GRPS Agartala for further investigation," the officials said.
(with PTI inputs)
The operation is being hailed as a significant success in ensuring rail passenger safety and underscores the crucial role played by frontline RPF staff in preventing criminal activities on trains, the statement said on Thursday.
