The Dhule Police arrested four persons who were carrying a huge cache of 89 swords and a dagger in a vehicle on Wednesday. The vehicle had evaded police checking and was intercepted after a chase. The seizure assumes high significance in the current political tension in the state.
The four arrested have been identified as Mohammed Sharif Mohammed Shafique, 35, Shaikh Iliyas Shaikh Latif, 32, Saiyad Naim Saiyad Rahim, 29 and Kapil Dabhade, 35, all residents of Jalna district.
According to the police, on Wednesday, around 7.30am, while officers and staff from the Songir police station were on patrol duty, they spotted an SUV near Waghadi Phata. Since the said vehicle had tinted glass and was speeding, the team began chasing the SUV and signalled the driver to stop.
“However, instead of stopping the vehicle, the driver sped on. The police team managed to intercept the vehicle and found four persons inside, including the driver. When the occupants were asked from where they were coming and why the vehicle was evading the police, they could not give any satisfactory reply,” said a police officer.
He added, “The police then searched the vehicle and found the lethal consignment. On sustained questioning, the accused persons revealed that they had brought the swords from Chittorgarh in Rajasthan and were ferrying the same to Jalna by road. They had managed to proceed uninterrupted, during their road journey from Rajasthan. The accused claim that the swords are openly available for sale in Chittorgarh.”
When asked if the said swords were meant to be used to carry out any criminal activity, the inspector general of police, Nashik range, B G Shekhar, said, “A thorough investigation will be conducted to ascertain who supplied weapons to the accused and for what purpose they were to be used. It is premature to comment on anything at the moment.”
Police sources said that four mobile phones had been also seized from the accused and their phone data will be vetted to secure further leads in the case. An FIR was registered against the accused at Songir police station under the relevant sections of the Arms Act and the Motor Vehicles Act.
