Sikligar community members from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra under Punjab Police radar

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, September 11

Members of the Sikligar community in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are now under the radar of Punjab Police as a section of them have been allegedly involved in illegal manufacturing and supply of illegal weapons that landed in the hands of notorious criminals, gangsters and robbers, creating a law and order problem in the state.

They are known to be blacksmiths and named Sikligar by 10th Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh. Community members are masters in the craft of weapon making and manufactured weapons for Guru Gobind Singh’s Khalsa Army in the 17th century.

In the past couple of years, the Punjab Police busted several modules involving members of the community from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra who supplied illegal weapons to notorious criminals, radicals and those who were involved in anti-national activities.

The counter intelligence wing of Punjab Police this week busted yet another module and recovered around 80 weapons from the Khargone area in Madhya Pradesh. They held three persons, including Sonu Singh, a member of the community.

In April last year, the Amritsar rural police had busted an interstate module of weapon smugglers with the arrest of three persons, Crore Singh, Ram Singh Patwa and Chanderpal, all residents of Burhanpur in MP. The police had recovered 30 weapons of .30 bore and .32 bore calibre pistols from their possession.

Another module was busted by the Amritsar rural police in January 2021 with the seizure of a huge number of weapons.

Similarly, the Kapurthala police also busted another module in July 2021 arresting its main supplier Sweety Singh, alias Baljit Singh, of Barwani in MP.

Gurinderpal Singh Nagra, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Investigations), who was part of the team, which busted two weapon supplier modules during his posting in the Amritsar rural police, said Madhya Pradesh emerged as a major supplier of illegal firearms. He said a number of community members were arrested by Punjab Police for smuggling illegal weapons in the recent past. He said members of the community were experts in illegal manufacturing of weapons.

An official of counter intelligence involved in investigations in the seizure of 80 weapons from MP said the illegal weapons suppliers in MP were using the social media platform for marketing their products.

Past cases

• The counter intelligence wing of the Punjab Police this week busted a module and recovered 80 weapons from the Khargone area in MP. They held three persons, including Sonu Singh, a member of the community
• In April last year, the Amritsar rural police had busted an interstate module of weapon smugglers with the arrest of three persons, Crore Singh, Ram Singh Patwa and Chanderpal, all residents of Burhanpur in MP