PUNE, June 4: The Pune police have launched a probe into the suspected involvement of some city youths in ``anti-national activities'' after a resident of Kondhwa was arrested at Lucknow for his alleged involvement in smuggling arms from Nepal.The Crime Branch and Special Branch sleuths have searched at least three places in Kondhwa, Wanowrie and Bhavani Peth areas and seized a revolver. Documents and some telephone numbers of suspected members of the Dawood Ibrahim gang were found.
Two Deputy Commissioners of Police, two Assistant Commissioners of Police and over 50 policemen were involved in the search which went on throughout Thursday night.
Additional Commissioner of Police M S Maheshgauri said two persons have been held for interrogation. However, he refused to disclose the identities of the detainees or the exact nature of their activities.
According to senior police officials, a massive hunt has been launched to track down three others who are absconding. The detained were suspects in previous cases of assault and attempted murders, they added.
The top brass of the Pune police decided to carry out the operation on Thursday afternoon after they received a wireless message from the Lucknow police about the arrest of Kondhwa resident Azeezuddin and recovery of an AK 57 rifle and 96 live cartridges from him in Lucknow.
According to reports, Azeezuddin and his accomplice Aqeel Ahmad from Nepal, suspected to be notorious Dawood Ibrahim gang members, were arrested during a raid at a guest house in the heart of Lucknow on June 2.
The raid was carried out by the Special Task Force of Lucknow police after a tip off that Azeezuddin and Aqeel were on their way to Mumbai from Nepal with the weapons, the reports said.
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