Special cell to curb use of illegal firearms in Lucknow
The Lucknow police constituted a dedicated cell for arms and ammunition control on Thursday due to multiple incidents of gun violence in the state capital, a senior police official said.
The cell will work to curb the supply of illegal firearms and cartridges in Lucknow, besides identifying the purchasers.
Thirteen incidents of gun violence claimed seven lives and left many others injured in September itself.
Sharing details of the cell, senior superintendent of Police (SSP), Lucknow, Kalanidhi Naithani said additional superintendent of police (ASP), West, Vikas Chandra Tripathi was made the nodal officer of the Arms and Ammunition Control Cell. An inspector, a sub-inspector and a constable have been provided to him for his assistance.
He said people could share any information related to illegal firearms and illegal use of licensed weapons on the anti-crime helpline number 7839861314.
People could share photographs and videos of such activities on WhatsApp on the same number, he said, adding the identity of the people sending such information will be kept secret.
The SSP said the cell will work for the recovery of illegal firearms available with different gangs and other people.
He said the cell will focus on collecting intelligence and action against people involved in production of illegal firearms, gangs or people involved in supply from other districts and states, people who carry such weapons and those who use them to commit crimes.
The SSP said the cell will also collect intelligence about different sources of illegal firearms and cartridges.
They will interrogate every person arrested with illegal firearms in Lucknow to know from where they procured it.
He said the cell was asked to maintain a data of illegal firearms’ recovery in Lucknow during the last 10 years and prepare dossiers of people involved in its production, supply and distribution.
Naithani said the cell will identify authorised firearms and cartridge shops from where huge sale was reported and ensure checking of the shops so that no cartridge was supplied illegally to anyone.
He said the regular verification of licensed firearms holders would also be done.
The cell will also probe incidents of celebratory firing by licensed weapons and ensure the cancellation of the licence of such people.