Rajshekhar Jha   

Two Gunrunners Arrested With Carbines And Pistols

Just a week before Independence Day, Special Cell of Delhi Police has seized a huge arms consignment comprising carbines and pistols and arrested two gunrunners — Mohammed Azimuddin Sheikh from Malda in West Bengal and Aas Mohammed from Shamli in Uttar Pradesh.

The seized arms include two carbines, 50 pistols, 19 magazines and 50 cartridges being brought from West Bengal to Delhi, DCP (special cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. The source of weapons has been traced to the Bangladesh border. Usually, weapons in Delhi are sourced from Madhya Pradesh, Meerut and Munger.

The capital has been put on high alert after the seizures and all district chiefs have been asked to step up security.

A terror angle hasn’t been ruled out and cops said they will comment once all the receivers are identified. Sources said one of the receivers has been identified as Mohammed Haji Qayuum and efforts are being made to track him. Police are trying to ascertain if the source modules have any connection to Jamat-e-Mujahideen Bangladesh.

DCP Yadav said two teams led by ACPs Sanjay Dutt and Manoj Dixit were tasked to develop information about gunrunners supplying weapons to Delhi criminals.

Azimuddin was intercepted from Dheerpur village in Delhi and two carbines, 38 pistols and 50 cartridges were seized from him. Another team nabbed Aas from GT Karnal Road when he was waiting for his contact near a CNG pump and 12 pistols and 19 magazines were seized from him.

During interrogation, Azimuddin disclosed that he worked with one Aqil based in Kaliachak of Malda and supplied weapons and ammunitions to gangs in Delhi, UP and Haryana. He had been in the trade for five years.

“The smugglers would hide the carbines in trolley bags and pistols in backpacks and board a train. They would get off at the outer signals of stations when the train would either slow down or halt and then reach their hideout by road,” DCP Yadav said.

The price of the weapons depended on the customer’s profile. While pistols were sold for up to Rs 30,000, carbines would cost up to Rs 1.5 lakh. The gang members communicated with receivers and associates on WhatsApp and other platforms and avoided using mobile calls.

Rajshekhar.Jha@timesgroup.com

Courtesy: Times of India: 09 Aug 2018