The NIA on Wednesday arrested an arms dealer in Dehradun for allegedly supplying ammunition to the Khalistani network. India’s apex probe agency raided two premises respectively in Udhamsingh Nagar and Dehradun districts of Uttarakhand as a part of its ongoing crackdown against Khalistani network in the country.

Top sources in the state’s Home Department informed that NIA raided the two premises on learning that Khalistani network got a part of its ammunition supplies from here. The arrested man has been identified as arms dealer Parikshit Negi and he was picked from his home at Turner Road in Clement Town area of Dehradun.

Prior to his arrest, NIA sleuths raided his arms showroom ‘Royal Gun House’ near the Municipal Corporation campus and confiscated several sensitive and incriminating documents. As per the sources, NIA had learnt that Negi allegedly supplied bullets to Khalistan Liberation Front network in Amritsar and other locations.

Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh confirmed the NIA raid and said, “We are aware that the NIA raid was conducted at the premises of Parikshit Negi who was arrested by the state police two year ago as well.” “NIA conducts its raids with the help of the state police and is kept as a top secret. It is difficult to say anything about the outcome of the raid,” said Singh.

The NIA carried out its second raid at the residence of Asim at Dhansara village of Bazpur block in Udhamsingh Nagar district. “Asim was released from the jail four months ago after completing his sentence for alleged nexus with Khalistan supporters and main accused in 2016 Nabha Jail break case in Punjab. The NIA raid was conducted in the morning keeping all inputs top secret. He was staying here after release from jail and the NIA had strong inputs as to his activities leading to the raid,” said Udhamsingh Nagar SSP Manjunath TC.

It is significant that nearly two years back Uttarakhand Police, Crime Branch had arrested Negi for his alleged association with five persons who were caught with a large cache of cartridges. Prior to that, the Crime Branch probe revealed that the arrested five persons had bought cartridges from a gun dealer in Dehradun. This led to a raid by Dehradun Police at Royal Gun House.

It was found in the raid that cartridges were supplied illegally to the arrested five men from Negi’s showroom. During the raid, the police also came to know that the showroom was not opened for the past several months resulting in the cancellation of the arms licence of the Royal Gun House by the district administration. Negi was out on bail as the NIA arrested him again.