Two men arrested with 52 illegal firearms in Delhi

In a crackdown on firearms ahead of the elections, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police arrested two suspected members of an interstate arms racket and seized 52 illegal pistols from them, police said Wednesday.

The accused were identified as Amarikan (25) and Sheetal Singh (22), both residents of Badwani district in Madhya Pradesh, they said.

The duo was arrested from near Alok Kunj bus stand in Rohini after a brief chase on March 31 where they had come to deliver a huge consignment of illegal firearms to their contacts here, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell)Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said.

A total of 52 illegal pistols were recovered. Of them, 10 each were seized from both the accused and 32 pistols recovered from their car, he said.

The accused told police they have been into the manufacturing and supplying of illegal firearms for more than 10 years, he added.

Most of the families in their village are indulged in the illegal trade of manufacturing and supplying of firearms in various parts of country including Delhi, the DCP said.

Amarikan used to send the consignments of illegal firearms to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh , Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, he said.

"Both the accused have expertise in preparing weapons including sophisticated pistols. They sell these pistols in bulk," the police officer said.

Pistols supplied by them in Delhi and the national capital region finally reach criminals and gangsters of Delhi and adjoining states, the DCP said.

Singh, who was indulged in this trade for the last eight years, has been running a lath machine in his village to manufacture these firearms and ammunitions, police said.