A preliminary investigation by the Metropolitan Police Crime Division, Teku, has revealed that one of the weapons seized from Thakur was issued by Nepal Police headquarters to Bhaktapur Police about a decade ago but had gone missing. Police have yet to investigate recovered weapons and Thakur's purpose of possessing them.
"We are clueless about the motive of the illegal possession of the weapons but on the basis of available evidence, we assume that the motive was criminal," SP Sahadev Thapa, spokesman of the Crime Division said.
Thakur was arrested after police acting on a tip-off raided the Khichapokhari-based Lumbini Guest House, where Yadav was staying. He was arrested with a Chinese pistol (serial number 29020827), a countrymade pistol and seven rounds of bullets.
Police have also arrested another man staying next to Thakur's room at the guesthouse. The man has been identified as Raj Kumar Patel, 36, of Gaur-9 of Rautahat. Police arrested Patel in suspicion of his links with Thakur.
In their bid to take the armed man under control, police shot Thakur under the knees, and immediately took him to Bir Hospital for treatment. "Once he is well enough to talk, we will dig more on the issue," SP Thapa said.
According to police, in 2011 when Thakur was deputed at District Police Office, Rautahat, he was accused of stealing an SLR weapon of another policeman and selling it to a Madhes-based underground outfit. He had sold the SLR to Sunil Jaisawal of Tarai Janatantrik Mukti Morcha for Rs 126,000. Jaiswal was later arrested and has been serving his term at Parsa prison.
Thakur was also arrested in 2012 on the charge of selling the firearm, but he managed to flee police custody. Thakur is said to have reached Gujarat, India initially after fleeing the custody and later to Dubai, the UAE. He had been hiding in Kathmandu after returning from the UAE, according to police.
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