POKHARA, March 8: A deserter Armed Police Force (APF) constable arrested on February 28 for possessing arms told police during interrogation that the Sub Machine Gun (SMG) he was found possessing was purchased from the armory of the APF Academy located at Lamapatan.
The admission has fueled speculation whether the SMG recovered from Kuber Pun, 25, is actually the one that went missing from the Academy on August 21 last year. [break]
Pun told police that he paid security personnel at the armory Rs 135,000 for the SMG, four pistols and bullets. He also claimed two APF men who were posted at the armory back then know about the transaction. A police source said of the two APF men named by Pun one has already quit service, while another is still posted there.
Pun also told police that he sold one of the pistols to a buyer in Pokhara at Rs 39,000. After an investigation police found out that the buyer has already sold the pistol to another person for Rs 52,000.
Pun deserted Kalika battalion in June 2010 after serving APF for six years. In recent months, he was involved in major organized robberies in Pokhara. Pun, who hails from Mehalkuna-5, Surkhet, was arrested a few hours after he robbed the residence of Shashi Gurung near New Road in Pokhara.
“We are awaiting a reply from APF to our query about the SMG,” said Superintendent of Police Yadav Raj Khanal, chief of the Kaski police. “The reply will speed up investigation,” he added.
Police has asked the APF to confirm whether the SMG recovered from Pun and the one that went missing from the APF Academy are the same.
APF Deputy Inspector General Durja Kumar Rai said since the number etched on the seized SMG is unreadable they are facing difficulty giving a confirmation.
The SMG that can fire 29 bullets at a time is an expensive and powerful weapon given only to APF and Nepal Army.