Guwahati, Jan. 5: Dispur police today arrested three youths on charges of drinking and threatening newspaper vendors at Ganeshguri Chariali in the wee hours.

Two of the youths, Imtiaz Rahman and Anupal Hazarika, are sons of senior Assam government officials.

Dispur police, who arrested the youths with arms early this morning, identified the third youth as Nayan Jyoti Das.

A .9mm pistol and two rounds of live cartridges were found in their possession. Police have also seized two Tata Safari vehicles used by the youths.

A police officer said the pistol recovered is of a prohibited bore and not for civilian use. “The .9mm pistol is only for use by security forces. From where could the youths have got hold of the pistol?” the officer wondered.

Imtiaz’s father Mohammad Mujibur Rahman, a deputy secretary in the education department, and Anupal’s father Kushal Chandra Hazarika, district transport officer of Goalpara, were not available for comment.

A senior police official said a group of nearly eight youths fought with the hawkers and security guards of a newspaper agency, MP Book Stall.

The youths allegedly stopped the hawkers from collecting newspapers from the agency and demanded money from them. They fled from the scene after the incident.

The police later intercepted two Tata Safaris (AS01 AE 8558 and AS01 0606) at Jotia. The arms were found in one of the vehicles.

Senior superintendent of police V.L. Ramisetti said the police have launched a search to apprehend the other youths who managed to escape. “All the persons involved in the incident will be rounded up soon,” he said.

Pawan Ali Saikia, owner of the agency, said some hawkers informed him around 4.30am that a group of drunken youths had picked up a fight with the hawkers.

Police sources said the youths had consumed liquor at a nearby bar and were returning home when they picked up a fight with the newspaper hawkers.

It is alleged that the police were trying to hush up the case since sons of senior government officials were involved.

The recovery of the pistol, however, forced the police to register a case.