A serving Army jawan was arrested late Tuesday night in Meerut for carrying 70 AK-47 cartridges, raising serious concerns about ammunition handling and possible illegal transfer. Identified as Rahul Kumar, a resident of Nagli Azad village, the soldier is currently posted with the counter-terrorism battalion at the Mechanised Infantry Centre and School in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra.
The arrest was made by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in collaboration with the Meerut police following a tip-off about illicit ammunition transport. Rahul was intercepted near the Rapid Rail station at Modiouram outpost while travelling in a car. A search revealed 70 live AK-47 rounds in his possession.
According to the FIR lodged at Pallavpuram police station, Rahul was wearing his Army ID at the time. He was booked under Sections 7 and 25(1-AA) of the Arms Act, 1959.
Initial questioning revealed that the cartridges were allegedly retained from Rahul’s prior deployment in Jammu and Kashmir, where he participated in anti-terror operations. He admitted to failing to return the unused ammunition to Army stores and instead brought them home while on leave.
Rahul claimed he was contacted by a friend in Meerut’s Shastri Nagar, who introduced himself as a member of the Special Task Force (STF) and requested ammunition, stating he had lost his own. Rahul agreed to hand over the rounds during his leave.
However, the handover reportedly went awry. When Rahul arrived at a pre-decided meeting point near a college, his friend failed to show up. Instead, another unidentified youth approached him. Rahul allegedly threw the ammunition toward the youth and tried to flee, but was immediately apprehended by law enforcement.
Senior Army officers arrived shortly after the arrest and initiated a parallel military inquiry. Authorities are now investigating how the ammunition was smuggled out and whether others are involved in a broader illegal arms transfer network.
The case has triggered heightened scrutiny within defence and security circles, highlighting the risks of ammunition diversion and underscoring the need for stricter inventory control protocols in sensitive postings.
