Patna: Fatuha police in rural Patna late on Wednesday recovered two country-made pistols, a rifle, and 34 live cartridges from a car bearing the name plate of the Fatuha Municipal Council president.

Eyewitnesses claimed council president Rupa Devi's husband Tuntun Gope, a person with many criminal cases pending against him, was travelling with some associates in the car from which the arms and ammunition were found.

Fatuha police sources said their personnel were patrolling NH-30 on Wednesday night when they received information that an SUV on its way from Bakhtiyarpur to Fatuha was hit by a truck.

Three persons sustained injuries in the accident. On reaching the spot, the police found the SUV bearing the name plate of the Fatuha Municipal Council president.

The SUV was found in the wrong lane. On searching the vehicle, the police found the arms and ammunition and two cellphones.

Quoting eyewitnesses, Fatuha police sources said four or five occupants in the SUV fired gun shots at the truck driver and residents in order to terrorise them. But, Gope who was allegedly in the vehicle, fled leaving the vehicle behind when he received information that the police were arriving at the spot.

Fatuha police station house officer (SHO) Naseem Ahmad said: "We have come to know that Gope, a notorious criminal from Fatuha, was in the vehicle. The recovered arms did not have valid licences."

Ahmad said Gope is a notorious criminal with several criminal cases, including of murder and extortion, pending against him.

His wife Rupa Devi was elected president of the Fatuha Municipal Council earlier this year. The police suspect Gope was returning to Fatuha after executing some crime.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj has directed Fatuha police to arrest Gope, who has fled from the spot.