First-time kidnappers nabbed with country-made pistols

The Kalachowki police officials have arrested two people after they were found possessing four country-made pistols along with five live bullets. Acting on a tip-off that the duo had unlicenced weapons, the cops nabbed them. During interrogations it came to the fore that the duo had procured the weapons to allegedly kidnap a rival businessman.

Kalachowki police officials display the firearms and live rounds recovered from the two men who were planning to kidnap a rival transport agent for a ransom

The two accused have been identified as Balu Gundal (43) and Gura Singh (30). Gundal was arrested on Tuesday, while Singh was nabbed on Wednesday. Police said, "Gundal is a resident of Sewri and owns a garage there. He also runs a truck transport service, where Singh worked as a truck driver. They park their trucks near Cotton Green station and were picked up from there," said an officer from the Kalachowki police station, on condition of anonymity.

After the cops got custody of the duo, they learnt that the duo was planning to commit a major offence in the city by kidnapping their rival, who is a transport agent. The plan to kidnap him was, however, foiled by the arrests. "Initially, the two men claimed that they kept the unlicenced pistols for their own safety, as they travelled in the night and their lives were at risk. But after thorough interrogations, we got to know that their intention was to kidnap their rival for a Rs 25-lakh ransom," added the police officer.

Police then contacted the probable victim and informed him of the sinister plans, but to their surprise, he did not wish to file a complaint, asserting that he did not feel his life was under threat and nor did he receive any extortion calls. Meanwhile, police claimed that the two were not history-sheeters, and this was the first crime they had been arrested. The two have been booked under sections 3 (licence for acquisition and possession of firearms and ammunition) and 25 (punishment for certain offences) of the Arms Act, along with 37 (A) and 135 of Bombay Police Act.

Gundal has been remanded in jail custody, while Singh is in police custody.After receiving information about them, Bhausaheb Gite, senior PI, Kalachowki police station, formed a team consisting of police inspector Dattatray Hankare, Police Sub-inspector Wahid Pathan, Prakash Linge, Assistant Police Inspector Vitthal Gadhav and six constables.