AMRITSAR, Jan. 25 -- Amid the heightened security in the state to ensure peaceful celebrations of Republic Day, the Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted an illegal arms-smuggling module with the arrest of three accused and recovered three foreign-made pistols from their possession, said director general of police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav on Saturday. Those arrested have been identified as Mani, a resident of Baghwanpur in Amritsar; Sehajpal Singh, a resident of Vichhoa village in Amritsar; and Diljanpreet Singh, a resident of Shehzada village in Amritsar. The recovered weapons include two 9mm pistols and one .30 bore-pistol, along with 15 live cartridges. Apart from this, police teams have also impounded their Hero Splendor motorcycle bearing registration number (PB02-ET-8857), which was being used to transport the illegal weapons. DGP Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the arrested accused were acting on the directions of foreign-based gangsters and allegedly planning to carry out a serious criminal activity. Sharing operational details, he said that following reliable inputs about a wanted criminal Mani that he, along with his associates, are in possession of illegal weapons and are planning to carrying out criminal activity in the area, teams from CI, Amritsar, launched an intelligence-led operation and intercepted them when they were travelling on the Amritsar-Fatehgrah Churian Road towards Muradpura Village. As per information, arrested accused Mani was also wanted by the Punjab Police in an Arms Act case registered at SSOC Amritsar police station in October 2025 after recovery of illegal weapons. The DGP said further investigation was underway to trace the complete supply chain and identify backward and forward linkages, including possible cross-border connections, in this case. A fresh case has been registered under Sections 25 and 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act and Section 61 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act at the State Special Operation Cell police station in Amritsar....