MP Sikligar gunrunners making a killing in Uttar Pradesh

Sikligars—a community skilled for generations in making weapons— are pushing illegally made sophisticated weapons into neighbouring UP using the rail corridor between Khandwa and Allahabad.

Updated on: Sep 12, 2014, 17:13:21 IST

Hindustan Times | By Ritesh Mishra, Indore

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Notorious for their skills in making illegal arms, Sikligars—a community skilled for generations in making weapons— are pushing illegally made sophisticated weapons into neighbouring Uttar Pradesh using the busy rail corridor between Khandwa and Allahabad, said police officials of Uttar Pradesh Wednesday.

The criminals of Allahabad and neighboring districts who were earlier depended on katta – single shot hand gun – have now graduated to using semi-automatic pistols illegally made by Sikligars in Madhya Pradesh.

According to Uttar Pradesh police, criminals from Allahabad area visit Khandwa and Burhanpur every week to pick up three to four consignments of arms made by Sikligars.

The criminals may carry anywhere between five to seven pistols in one consignment.

It is the railway network, which criminals form neighbouring state are mainly using to transport these weapons, said police.

About 27 trains ply everyday between Khandwa to Allahabad on the south and central railway corridors. Sources said the criminals switch trains three or four times before reaching Allahabad.

"Earlier pistols were coming from Munger and other parts of Bihar. But high costs had made the weapons out of reach of petty criminals," said officer -in-charge Allahabad crime branch Manoj Raghuvanshi.

"In last one year due to the smuggling from Khandwa there has been a massive increase in the use of pistols in Allahabad and adjoining areas."

Alarmed by the gunrunning, Allahabad police are now planning to write to their Madhya Pradesh counterparts seeking help to contain the flow of illegal arms from Khandwa and Burhanpur to different parts of Uttar Pradesh, especially Allahabad.

"The inflow of pistols has drastically increased over the last one year," said officer-in-charge special task force Allahabad Ajay Singh.

"We will write to the MP government and concerned officers in this regard." The Allahabad crime branch is keeping tabs on several suspected gunrunners, said the crime branch official.

Sources said the Sikligars sells these semi-automatic pistols between Rs 6,000 and Rs 8,000 which are then sold in Allahabad between Rs 15,000 and 25,000.

With gunrunners in Khandwa keeping in sync with changing times and these pistols being easily available, even petty criminal prefer them instead cumbersome kattas, said sources from local intelligence unit (LIU).

"The katta is almost extinct now," said an LIU official.

The Sikilgar community is adept at making country made pistols, one -fire weapons (12-bore katta and 315 bore katta) swords and daggers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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