Chiloda police arrest Maharashtra man with illegal pistol during highway bus check on NH-48

A routine vehicle inspection on National Highway-48 in Gandhinagar district led to the arrest of a Maharashtra resident after Chiloda Police allegedly recovered an unlicensed pistol from his luggage while checking a private passenger bus, police said on Saturday.

The operation was carried out at the Chandrala Naka checkpoint on the Himmatnagar-Chiloda stretch of NH-48 as part of an intensified surveillance drive launched across the Chiloda Police Station limits to curb the transportation of illegal goods and weapons.

Police have established multiple checkpoints at strategic locations to strengthen vigilance and increase vehicle inspections.

The Chiloda police station's surveillance squad was conducting checks at the Chandrala Naka point when officers intercepted a Maruti Nandan Travels bus, which was travelling from Himmatnagar towards Chiloda.

During the inspection, police examined the luggage of passengers travelling in the sleeper coach. A black bag belonging to a passenger identified as Sagar Pandurang Bilare, 39, a resident of Santewadi village in Khatav taluka of Maharashtra's Satara district, was allegedly found to contain a pistol.

As the accused was unable to produce a valid licence for possessing the firearm, he was taken into custody and brought to Chiloda Police Station. A case has been registered against him under sections of the Arms Act, along with Section of the Gujarat Police Act. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the weapon and the purpose for which it was being transported.

Police said they seized one pistol valued at approximately ₹ 50,000, a mobile phone worth ₹ 5,000 and the black bag used to carry the weapon. The total value of the seized property has been estimated at ₹ 55,000.