Delhi cops raise reward for info on illegal guns trade

NEW DELHI: Last month, a team of Delhi police officers arrested two alleged criminals Shailesh Kumar and Mohammad Hanif, with seven country made pistols, one motorcycle, a machine and equipment used in making firearms.

During interrogation, both the accused disclosed that they, along with their associates used to make illegal firearms and sold them in the national capital.

In another case, police arrested a man, Sahil alias Vicky, who was involved in a robbery at Geeta Colony with a country made pistol and three live cartridges.

In both the cases, the police teams were alerted by informers, mostly locals, who were helping the police in a special operation against the illegal arms.

Police handed both a cash reward of ₹10,000. Under a new scheme to encourage people to come forward with information that may help the police bust illegal firearms, the Delhi Police have increased the reward money from ₹1,000-₹5,000 to ₹10,000-₹25,000.

“In the last five months, over 25 people have been rewarded for information about illegal weapons. Till now, we have been giving ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 to the informers who shared information about such criminals. But now under the new scheme, they will get at least ₹10,000,” said a senior police officer involved with the operation while speaking on condition of anonymity.

The police informer, who helped police arrest Shailesh and Hanif, said, “Many youngsters from our villages started going to Hanif’s house in the late evening and used to return home in the afternoon.

A boy, who was my distant cousin, left his college for this vocation. If both of them had not been nabbed, dozens of youngsters from our village might have been trapped in the illegal business of gun making. This is why I thought of informing the police.”

The police informer in the second case said the Sahil alias Vicky used to trap gullible youngsters of the village to make easy money.

In the last five months, over 25 people have been rewarded for information about illegal weapons. nder the new scheme, they will get at least ₹10,000 ENIOR POLICE OFFICER