Ghaziabad criminals ahead in arms race

The criminals of Ghaziabad have advanced to the next level and the police seem to be lagging far behind. AK-47 was used in Friday’s shoot-out.

The criminals of Ghaziabad have advanced to the next level and the police seem to be lagging far behind. Last week, on Friday, there was a shoot-out between two rival gangs in which four were killed and three injured.

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The shoot-out happened during a wedding party in a banquet hall in Sahibabad area of Ghaziabad. The police say the criminals possessed automatic AK-47 assault rifles and other prohibited bores.

Speaking to HT, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Raghubir Lal said the police's forensic teams recovered used cartridges belonging to sophisticated weapons like AK-47 assault rifle, .315 caliber rifles, 9mm prohibited bore and .30mm bore guns from the the banquet hall after the shootout.

Sources say it is the first time that criminals of Ghaziabad used advanced weapons

like AK-47, which is used primarily by armed forces, paramilitary forces, provincial armed constabulary (PAC) and specialised units of the civil police.

A police official, requesting anonymity, told HT that laying their hands on an AK-47 is difficult for local criminals. But he added that there are several gangs, operating through Nepal, that facilitate the illegal procurement of such weapons.

"There have been periods during insurgencies in neighbouring states after which many of these weapons went missing," the official said. So far, two FIRs have been filed at the Sahibabad police station in connection with the Friday shoot-out. SSP Lal said four teams have been formed to nab the culprits.

"The procurement and use of AK-47 is under investigation. We suspect that some policemen have close links with these criminals. Once they are nabbed, we will reveal more details," Lal added.