Lid off interstate gun racket; 20 pistols recovered

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 15

A team of Northern Range, Special Cell busted an interstate gunrunning racket by arresting a carrier Mani Singh, 36. He is brother of the syndicate kingpin Richpal Singh, involved in manufacturing and supply of illegal arms to criminals in UP, MP, Delhi and Haryana. A 0.32-bore pistol with 5 live cartridges was recovered from his possession while 19 sophisticated pistols were seized from his Alto car, said police

A special drive was launched against illegal arms supply to Delhi from different parts of the country like Khargaon, Burhanpur (MP), Munger (Bihar). The team busted several similar interstate arm syndicates and recovered 347 sophisticated pistols, 9 countrymade guns, 6009 live cartridges and 95 spare magazines last year.

In December’ 2016, the same team had recovered a huge consignment of 46 sophisticated pistols along with spare magazines and arrested two persons of the arms syndicate of Richpal Singh. Similarly, in September 2016, this team had also recovered 13 pistols along with cartridges and spare magazines of this arms syndicate, and arrested three more persons.

Surveillance was mounted about kingpin Richpal Singh and his syndicate. Teams went to Burhanpur, Sagar and Khargon (MP) to track the movement of carriers. The surveillance revealed that after the arrest of some members of his syndicate, Richpal Singh had tasked his brother Mani Singh to deliver huge consignments of weapons outside MP.

On 15 Feburary, the team received information that Mani Singh is on his way to Delhi in his Alto car to deliver the huge consignment of weapons to buyers of western UP and has fixed meetings in front of Metro Flats, Azadpur, Delhi.

Accordingly, the team laid a trap in front of Metro Flats. At about 12:30 pm, Alto car was spotted coming from the Azadpur side and driver parked it in front of the flats. After waiting for a while as he was about to move, the police team moved in to apprehend him. The accused whipped out his pistol and tried to get into the car. He was however apprehended by police officials Pravez Alam and Sumer who snatched his pistol. On sustained interrogation, Mani Singh revealed that they charge Rs 10,000 per pistol in bulk supply, said DCP Special Cell, Sanjeev Kumar .