When the railway police searched a wayside vendor here on Monday, they were in for two shocks. One, he had a gun and bullets with him, and two, the weapon and ammunition were of the police force.
The service revolver and bullets of Raghunath, civil police officer from Armed Reserve Camp, Thiruvananthapuram, ended up in the hands of Rafeeque Moidu, 45, on a train here on Sunday night.
The railway police searched Rafeeque from Peravur in Kannur district because of his drunken, suspicious behaviour. In the ensuing inquiry, the police found that it was Raghunath’s service revolver.
Raghunath said in a statement to the police that his bag had been accidentally exchanged with Rafeeque. The railway police said the policeman had been drunk and going back to Thiruvananthapuram after escorting Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan here.
The police said department-level action would be initiated against him shortly. Rafeeque was produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court 1 and remanded in judicial custody.
After the arrest, he tried to mislead the police by identifying himself as Mathai from Wayanad. His correct identity was confirmed after a long verification process by another police team.
