Illicit arms cases in Mahendragarh double in 5 yrs

Ravinder Saini

Mahendragarh, February 9

Cases registered under the Arms Act in Mahendragarh have doubled in the past five years, indicating rampant use and supply of illicit weapons in the district.

A total of 38 such cases were registered in the district in 2018, but the number rose to 77 by the end of 2022, witnessing more than 100 per cent increase in cases. The police claim that strictness against those indulged in crime had led to increased reporting of cases in the district in 2022.

Interestingly, the police also recovered around five times more illicit weapons in 2022 than 2018. A total of 44 illicit arms were recovered in 2018 whereas the number shot up to 208 in 2022.

Of the seized arms, a majority of them were country-made pistols and guns and were bought from various places in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan for Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000, said sources.

Sources said a majority of the total 107 persons arrested in 2022 for carrying illicit arms were either indulged in violence due to enmity, rivalry etc. or in cases of snatching, loot and thefts.

Mahendragarh Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikrant Bhushan claimed they carried out a special operation throughout 2022 against the practice of illicit weapons and managed to unearth firearms’ manufacturing units in Bharatpur (Rajasthan) and the Mathura area of Uttar Pradesh from where a large number of country-made pistols and other weapons were recovered.

Besides, action was taken against two gun houses being run in Mathura after these were found involved in supplying cartridges illegally, he said.