LUCKNOW, May 15 -- The U.P. STF on Wednesday arrested a key member of an interstate illegal arms syndicate involved in trafficking weapons from Punjab to various districts in western UP, in Baghpat. The arrest is linked to a major case registered at Kankarkheda police station in Meerut under multiple sections of the BNS and the Arms Act. The accused has been identified as Vipin Kumar. The STF was monitoring an active network of arms traffickers in western UP. Under the supervision of ASP Brijesh Kumar Singh, intelligence-gathering efforts were intensified by the STF's Meerut field unit. This arrest follows a series of earlier breakthroughs. On November 23, 2024, the STF arrested Rohan, son of Rakesh Kumar of Lohadda village (Baraut), and recovered 17 illegal firearms and 700 live cartridges. Another accused, Anil Balyan alias Banjhi, from Sisauli village (Bhourakalan police station, Muzaffarnagar), was arrested on December 20, 2024, with a US-made Winchester .30 bore carbine, a Springfield .30 bore rifle, a 12-bore pump gun and ammunition. During preliminary questioning, Vipin admitted to being lured into the arms trade by his acquaintance Rohan, whose village is just a kilometre from his own. Several months ago, Rohan and his associates sold him a .30 bore pistol for Rs 1.5 lakh, which Vipin later sold to a local buyer in Meerut for Rs 2 lakh. Encouraged by the profit, he joined the syndicate led by Rohan and Anil Balyan. Vipin disclosed that Rohan had informed him about smuggling consignments of illegal rifles and ammunition from Punjab, some of which were meant for distribution through local contacts like himself....