Three persons, including the nephew of a local BJP leader, have been arrested in Malda for allegedly peddling illegal firearms.

Malda police acted on specific information to nab the trio from Old Malda and recover from them two improvised firearms and five rounds of live bullets.

The arrested have been identified as Akash Mandal, the nephew of Ukil Mandal, a BJP leader and chief of Sahapur panchayat of the district, and his close associates Nayan Saha and Tapas Mandal. “During preliminary investigation, we have come to know that they used to procure and sell illegal firearms,” said a police officer.

The district BJP leadership distanced itself from the case. However, Ajay Ganguly, a district vice-president of the saffron party, said they needed to find out if Akash, in his late 20s, was falsely implicated at the behest of Trinamul leaders. “We don’t shield anyone. If the offence is proved, the law should take its own course. But if the arrest (of Akash) is made to humiliate our party leader (Mandal), we will act differently,” Ganguly said.

‘Infiltrator’ arrested

A Bangladeshi national who allegedly infiltrated the international border a week ago and was staying at a hamlet under Baishnabnagar police station was arrested on Saturday. The police arrested two villagers who sheltered him .

Police said the Bangladeshi was identified as Salmah Shah, 24, from Thakurgaon district of the neighbouring country. “He reached Natun-Sikosti village of Baishnabnagar and had been staying at the house of two brother, Ataur and Lutfar Rahaman. We need to interrogate them to know why Salman entered India and why the duo provided him shelter instead of informing us,” a police officer said.