Presenting the youth, Gurjant Singh, before reporters, Senior Superintendent of Police A S Rai said Gurjant Singh had been arrested from near Fatehgarh Sahib yesterday.

One of the two rifles he had stolen from the Tharua police chowki and some cartridges had been recovered at his instance. He had been remanded in police custody till January 15 during which time the police expected to recover the second rifle also.

Giving details of the case, Mr Rai said the two rifles had been stolen from the police chowki on December 29. He said following this, the police zeroed onto Gurjant Singh because he was friendly with one of the constables posted at the chowki and used to visit it often.

He said following the burglary, the investigation of the case had been handed over to Samana DSP Jaspreet Singh Sidhu who along with the constables posted at the police station was ultimately responsible for the arrest of Gurjant Singh.

Gurjant Singh, when questioned on the crime, said he had stolen the two rifles because he wanted to avenge the beating he had received at the hands of some youth of his village, Bahadurgarh, under the Moonak police station. Gurjant Singh said during one such beating, the village youth had dragged him by his hair and also tried to molest his sister.

He claimed he had reported the matter to the Moonak police station but no action was taken on the issue.

Gurjant Singh claimed that he decided to steal the two rifles from the police chowki because they were within reach as one of the constables posted there was a friend. He said after the burglary, he sprained his ankle following which he had to throw away one rifle.

He said he tried to test-fire the second rifle but could not do so and buried it along the Ghaggar bed near Tharua village. After this, he fled the area.

A case has been registered against Gurjant Singh under Section 380, IPC, and Sections 25,54 and 69 of the Arms Act.