Dimapur Police have arrested two persons and recovered five .303 rifles along with 90 rounds of ammunition during an operation at Aoyimti village, following credible information about the illegal possession and transportation of firearms.

Acting on the information, a Dimapur Police team intercepted an auto-rickshaw bearing registration number NL07F-6939 at around 5:30 p.m. near the village cemetery at Aoyimti.

The occupants of the vehicle were identified as Ghotovi Yeptho, identified by police as SS Deputy Kilonser of NSCN (Kitovi), and Akhehoto Yepto, the driver of the auto-rickshaw.

A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of five .303 rifles with magazines and 90 rounds of .303 ammunition. According to police, neither of the two persons could produce valid legal documents for the possession and transportation of the recovered firearms and ammunition.

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A case has been registered at East Police Station under C/No. 181/26, invoking Section 25(1A) of the Arms Act read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023, and Sections 7/8 of the Nagaland Security Regulation (NSR) Act.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

Dimapur Police reiterated its commitment to curbing the illegal possession, transportation and trafficking of firearms and ammunition and appealed to the public to share credible information regarding such activities with the police.