L-G orders cops to check illegal guns

NEWDELHI: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Wednesday told Delhi police to identify the supply chain network of illegal gun smugglers across the city and break their nexus.

In a meeting held at the Raj Niwas, with the top brass of city police, Baijal told officers to strike at the root of the gun smugglers to curb gun smuggling.

Recently, several incidents of shooting have been reported from the city. On Wednesday, CCTV footage of four men chasing an alleged criminal- out on bail- in northeast Delhi and pumping at least 10 bullets into his body went viral on social media. Also, two weeks ago, an inmate who had come for a court hearing was shot dead inside the Rohini jail complex, prompting police to increase security at the city courts.

Senior police officers said following the meeting, all police stations around the city have been told to launch a crackdown on arms suppliers. The crime branch sleuths have been told to track interstate gangs who smuggle weapons from outside the city.

According to Delhi police crime data between 2014 and 2016, at least 2103 illegal guns, over 31,000 bullets and an improvised AK 47 were seized in Delhi.

Most illegal weapons in Delhi come from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. These include automatic and semi-automatic pistols made in Munger and Khargone.