Tripura Police intensify interrogation of three arrested arms smugglers after seizing firearms in Agartala. Officials probe inter-state and cross-border links, suspected routes from Bihar and possible Bangladesh delivery networks. Investigation focuses on origins, intent and wider trafficking operations.
Tripura Police and intelligence agencies continued intense interrogation on Tuesday of the three alleged arms smugglers arrested in Agartala following the seizure of two small firearms and four magazines during a routine patrolling operation. Officials stated that the inquiry aims to uncover the wider inter-state network behind the illegal arms supply chain.
According to police sources, the three men—identified as Tinku Debbarma (35) and Sumenda Debbarma (40), both residents of Barkathal in West Tripura, and Sibash Kumar (29) of Dumeria Khurd in Bihar—were produced before a local court on Tuesday. The court granted five days of police custody to facilitate further investigation. Initial findings indicate that the accused were operating as part of an inter-state arms smuggling network with suspected links extending beyond Tripura.
A senior police official confirmed that the interrogation is focused on establishing the origin, intended recipients and potential broader motives behind the smuggled weapons. “Senior police and intelligence officials will continue to question the three arrested persons to know the details about the arms smuggling and their planning,” the official said. He added that investigators suspect the firearms may have been intended for delivery to Bangladesh, a route frequently exploited by smuggling gangs active in the northeastern region.
The arrests were made late Monday night near Bandeshwar Bridge on the bypass road at Arundhuti Nagar, a locality on the outskirts of Agartala. The incident occurred when the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Arundhuti Nagar Police Station was conducting routine patrols and noticed suspicious movement by three individuals. Upon stopping them and carrying out checks, police recovered two small firearms, four magazines and three mobile phones from the suspects.
West Tripura Superintendent of Police, Namit Pathak, said that early investigation suggests the weapons were transported from Bihar earlier in the day. “Only after further interrogation can we confirm how the arms reached here, for what purpose and to whom they were to be delivered,” Pathak noted. He added that the case has been registered under relevant sections of the Arms Act, and a detailed probe is underway.
The arrested Bihar resident, Sibash Kumar, is believed to be the main supplier who allegedly brought the weapons into Tripura. Investigators are currently probing his networks and possible links to organised arms trafficking groups operating across eastern and northeastern India.
Police sources pointed out that the Arundhuti Nagar region, located close to Agartala railway station, has recorded multiple arrests related to illegal firearms over the past few years. Most cases involved guns smuggled into the state through train routes, often originating from states such as Bihar, West Bengal, Nagaland and parts of Northeast India. The area’s proximity to key transit points makes it a strategic hub frequently exploited by smuggling networks.
The latest arrests come amid heightened concerns regarding the increasing use of Tripura as a transit corridor for illegal arms heading toward the Indo-Bangladesh border. Security agencies have intensified monitoring of railway stations, highway routes and border-adjacent zones to prevent arms smuggling activities.
In an earlier significant incident on May 8, eight pistols and 16 empty magazines were recovered from unclaimed bags on the Tripura Sundari Express after it arrived at Agartala railway station from Firozpur in Punjab. The search was conducted during a joint operation by the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF). A GRP official confirmed that the recovered firearms bore no manufacturing marks, raising concerns over the increasing circulation of untraceable, factory-modified or illicitly assembled weapons.
The pistols, similar to 9mm variants, were found packed in two unclaimed bags with no identifiable owner. Investigators are still probing whether the consignment was intended for local criminal groups, inter-state smuggling networks or cross-border recipients.
With the latest arrests and ongoing interrogation of the three accused smugglers, police believe they may soon uncover a wider supply network that has been actively transporting illegal firearms into Tripura. Security agencies have increased surveillance across vulnerable routes, particularly in and around railway stations, to prevent similar attempts.
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Authorities emphasised that cracking such inter-state and cross-border smuggling chains remains a top priority due to the potential threat these weapons pose to regional security and law enforcement efforts. The ongoing interrogation is expected to provide crucial leads that may help dismantle the larger network behind the illicit trade.
