YOUTH ARRESTED WITH AUTOMATIC PISTOL IN SILIGURI AMID HIGH ALERT

Pradhan Nagar police seize US-made firearm; accused produced in court as probe into arms network intensifies

Agencies, Siliguri, 24 November 2025 : In a major security operation conducted under heightened alert following the recent Delhi car blast, Pradhan Nagar police on Friday night arrested a 27-year-old youth in possession of a US-made automatic pistol and two rounds of live ammunition. The seizure, made at Sikkim Bus Stand near Siliguri Junction, marks the second firearm recovery by the police in just 14 days and has prompted an intensive investigation into potential arms-trafficking networks operating in the region.

The accused, identified as Sagar Mangar, a resident of Kalimpong, was apprehended as part of a special drive and naka checking operation. Police officials said Mangar had been involved in illegal activities in Siliguri and was under watch. According to initial findings, the recovered automatic pistol carries significant black-market value, estimated between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹2 lakh.

Preliminary interrogation suggested that Mangar had brought the weapon to Siliguri with the intention of selling it, and had been lingering around the bus stand when police teams moved in and arrested him. Officers stressed that the weapon’s origin, procurement route and intended buyers are now central to the inquiry.

Mangar was produced before Siliguri Court on Saturday, where police sought remand to question him further and identify the broader network behind the smuggling attempt. Investigators are treating the case with the utmost seriousness, given ongoing security concerns and the pattern of recent arms recoveries in the area.

The arrest underscores the police’s intensified vigilance and continued efforts to curb the circulation of illegal arms in and around Siliguri.