A pistol allegedly collected from Amritsar for the October 18 firing at actor Tiger Shroff has brought suspected Punjab arms-smuggling networks back under scrutiny, as police records cited in the investigation show the seizure of 87 pistols, three rifles and six hand grenades across the state in the first 21 days of October.
According to the Delhi Police Special Cell, Kunal, 21, from Sonipat in Haryana, allegedly collected a pistol and 20 rounds of ammunition from Amritsar on the instructions of Anil Pandit, an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang believed to be operating abroad. Kunal was allegedly accompanied by Sumit, 19, also from Sonipat. Delhi Police arrested the two men and two women, Radha, 23, and Babita, 23, from Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday for their alleged roles in the firing.
The pistol’s origin and the route by which it reached the accused remain under investigation. Sources cited in the report said encrypted messaging applications may have been used to communicate the pickup location. The available report does not establish a link between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency and the weapon used in the firing.
The development comes amid a series of arms recoveries in Punjab. Between October 1 and 21, Amritsar Rural Police recovered 22 pistols, two rifles and four grenades in multiple operations, while Amritsar Commissionerate Police seized 31 pistols. Counter Intelligence, Amritsar, recovered 13 pistols, an assault rifle, two grenades and 25 live cartridges in a suspected cross-border smuggling case.
Other recoveries during the period included 10 pistols seized by SAS Nagar Police and seven by Gurdaspur Police. Counter Intelligence, Jalandhar, recovered three pistols, five magazines and 11 cartridges. In a separate joint operation, the Anti-Gangster Task Force and Ludhiana Commissionerate Police seized a Glock pistol and 20 cartridges.
Punjab Police have previously reported suspected links between separate arms-smuggling investigations and foreign-based handlers. In one operation, police said a suspected module had been retrieving weapons, ammunition and explosives allegedly dropped by drones across the international border. Repeated seizures of heroin and other narcotics have also kept Punjab’s border districts under security scrutiny.
The recoveries highlight the role of cities such as Amritsar as operational nodes in investigations that extend across state and international boundaries. The alleged movement of weapons through urban areas also places pressure on policing, intelligence coordination and monitoring of criminal networks, although the report does not establish that all the seizures are connected to one network.
Inspector General of Police, Border Range, and Amritsar Commissioner of Police Harmanbir Singh Gill said they had no information about the specific development in the Mumbai firing case. Investigators are expected to establish the pistol’s origin and determine how it reached the accused.
