Police arrested six persons after recovering a firearm from an SUV owned by a former Congress MLA during naka checking on NH12 at Kaluadighi under Malda police station on Saturday evening.

The SUV in question belongs to Md Mottakin Alam, who had been the Congress MLA from Manikchak between 2016 and 2021.

The firearm, a licensed pistol issued in his name, was seized during the checking.

Alam, however, was not present in the vehicle at the time.

Police sources said the weapon had been seized as the owner must be present with the licensed weapon and that it cannot be left in possession of others.

Both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP have criticised the former MLA for his alleged negligence in handling the licensed
firearm.

Bibhuti Ghosh, the chairman of Old Malda municipality and Trinamool leader,
said: “The former MLA should have been more responsible. He should have deposited the licensed firearm well in advance in accordance with the election
norms.”

Gopal Saha, the sitting MLA of Malda Assembly constituency and the BJP candidate, said: “The former Congress MLA should be cautioned. However, he is not alone (in having a gun), several Trinamool leaders and workers also use legal and illegal firearms to intimidate the Opposition.”

Alam declined to comment on the issue.

However, Congress district leader Mantu Ghosh termed the incident minor.

“Alam had inadvertently left the firearm in the SUV. His relatives were using the vehicle to go to a restaurant when the police recovered the pistol. This is a minor issue,”
Ghosh said.