Gems to guns: Jewellers pay heavy price for security

Members of the Krishna Nagar jewellers’ association, who were shaken by the murder of one of their colleagues in broad daylight in February this year, have found a unique way to secure themselves. Days after the murder, around 100 jewellers of the association applied for gun licences and now most of them carry their own guns.

Members of the Krishna Nagar jewellers’ association, who were shaken by the murder of one of their colleagues in broad daylight in February this year, have found a unique way to secure themselves. Days after the murder, around 100 jewellers of the association applied for gun licences and now most of them carry their own guns.

Interestingly, the Delhi Police, who often restrain themselves from issuing gun licences, didn’t object and issued licences to almost 40 jewellers of the area. “To bring in a sense of security among them, we issued these licences,” said Madhup Tiwari, additional CP (licensing).

In February, three armed bikers shot dead a jeweller — Gaurav Gambhir — in his showroom in Krishna Nagar area of east Delhi after he resisted their robbery attempt. The incident sparked off protests as jewellers were worried for their safety.

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“We even met the Delhi Police commissioner and the killers were later caught. But security concerns remained and we decided to get gun licenses. Now, most of us have our own guns,” said Ashok Seth, president of Krishna Nagar jewellers’ association.

Meanwhile, a licensing branch officer said, “Last year, we issued 871 gun licences. This year, we have already issued about 871 licences till the first week of October. The number of total licenses issued this year would be more as we have issued licences in bulk to jewellers.”