Cops arrest city’s ‘best gunmaker’ from Loni factory
NEWDELHI: The police on Sunday raided an illegal arms manufacturing unit at Loni in Ghaziabad and arrested three persons.
During the raid, the police team recovered 16 country-made pistols, 38 live cartridges, parts of pistols and machinery, and tools and raw material being used to make the arms.
According to the police, the arrested men — Kasmuddin (55), Ajay Kumar (41) and Hashim (19) — had reportedly been running the illegal arms manufacturing unit for the past several years. In fact, Kasmuddin has carved a niche for himself as the best illegal arms manufacturer, they said.
The matter came to fore after Delhi Police launched a special drive against illicit firearms. During interrogation of several suspects, police was informed about such a unit operating in Loni.
A special team was constituted to track and bust the racket. “We received a reliable input that two persons notorious for manufacturing and supplying ‘Kasmu’s Katta’ (countrymade pistol) would come near Seelampur on a bike. The police team laid a trap and apprehended the duo after a chase,” said Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (eastern range).
According to police, the men disclosed that they cut their teeth with one Ramzan in Muzaffarnagar and started making illegal firearms under him about 10 years back. After the death of Ramzan, they shifted to his native village Paldi, Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh and restarted the illegal arms manufacturing, but was caught by UP Police about eight years ago. They shifted base to Loni and set up the current unit behind a welding shop about three years ago.
“For manufacturing the weapons, Kasmuddin purchases firearms barrels, fire pins and fire pin caps from Meerut. He makes the remaining accessories himself. His country-made pistols are famous as ‘Kasmu’s Kattas’ among the criminals. All criminals prefer to purchase Kasmu’s Kattas owing to its effectiveness and reliability,” Yadav said.
“During interrogation, Ajay disclosed that he has been involved in supplying the pistols to criminals in Delhi and UP to earn quick money and to fulfill his daily needs and other expenditure,” the joint commissioner said.