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Chandigarh Police bust illegal arms supply ring, three arrested
Gang had become more active ahead of the Assembly elections in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, say Chandigarh Police
A gang of illegal weapon suppliers, who had become more active ahead of the Assembly elections in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, has been busted by the crime cell of the Chandigarh Police.
Police have recovered two desi kattas, two country made pistols, one country made revolver and eight live cartridges from the gang.
The arrested members are Rohan Kumar, 21, from Hallomajra; and Abhishek Kumar, 18, and Saksham Verma, 19, from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
While Rohan works as a peon at a bank in Elante Mall, Chandigarh, Abhishek works at a sugar mill back home and Saksham at a relative’s sweet shop in UP, the police said.
“The accused used to get the weapons from manufacturers and suppliers in Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar, UP, and further sold these weapons for commission,” said Kuldeep Singh Chahal, senior superintendent of police, Chandigarh.
“For bigger profits, they had taken to supplying weapons in poll-bound states,” said a senior police officer privy to investigation.
“The possibility of using these illegal weapons in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab cannot be ruled out,” said Chahal.
The police have identified the main manufacturer, but no arrest has been made.
Accused Rohan spilled the beans
Rohan was the first to be arrested on December 31. The district crime cell had arrested him from a naka in Ram Darbar following a tip-off and recovered a desi katta, along with a live cartridge, from him.
On his disclosure, a country made revolver was also recovered from his house in Hallomajra.
During questioning, he revealed that he had procured the weapons from Abhishek, whose supplier was Saksham.
Acting on the information, police contacted the other accused for weapons and caught them when they arrived for delivery.
A desi katta, a country made pistol and a live cartridge was found in Abhishek’s possession and Saksham was nabbed with a country made pistol and six live cartridges.
Deals done through WhatsApp
Giving details about the gang’s modus operandi, a senior police official said, “They finalised all deals through WhatsApp calls and received payments online to avoid being traced. The weapons were delivered at the time and place chosen by the customer.”
The official added that the gang earned commission from each sale. They would sell a pistol for ₹23,000, a revolver for ₹15,000 and desi katta for ₹8,000.
The trio was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody. They have been booked under the Arms Act at the Sector 31 police station.
