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Bhopal police probe NRAI, shooters over ammo issue
NRAI officials face charges under the Arms Act for illegally supplying unrecorded ammunition to shooters in Bhopal, prompting an ongoing police investigation.
Bhopal: Office-bearers of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) have been booked under the Arms Act for illegally providing ammunition to shooters in Bhopal, city police said on Wednesday.
The Bhopal police is investigating who in NRAI issued cartridges to shotgun shooters without entering in the licence and how many players were involved, said RB Sharma, inspector at the Ratibad police station.
“The FIR was registered on the basis of a probe report given by the district collector. Last year, the district administration received complaints that many shooters are using ammunition provided by NRAI without following due process. The probe committee was formed by the collector and all the shooters were asked to give account for ammunition used in their practice and events.”
The probe revealed that NRAI had been selling cartridges to shooters but the sale was not being recorded in their mandatory arms licences.
According to the FIR, “A joint investigation team conducted physical verification of the imported weapons and documents of renowned shooters. The investigation revealed that NRAI was selling cartridges at the shooting range during competitions. Shooter Aslam Parvez’s shooting history showed the use of more cartridges than the quantity recorded in his licence. During questioning, Parvez and Sulem Ali confirmed purchasing cartridges from NRAI during the 11th West Zone Shooting Competition held in Bhopal in 2024, but this does not reflect in his licence records.”
“The NRAI sold cartridges to shooters Aslam Parvez and Sulem Ali during a shooting event in Bhopal, but these were not entered in their respective arms licences. According to the rules, it is mandatory to record the number of cartridges supplied in the licence. Therefore, as per the enclosed investigation report, a prima facie case under Section 25(1)(b)(1)/30 of the Arms Act is found against the NRAI, and a case is registered and taken up for investigation,” reads the FIR.
“During the investigation, NRAI office-bearers will be called for interrogation to identify the exact person responsible for this crime,” Sharma said.
