Bihar dealer involved in nationwide racket of illegal firearms: Cops
LUCKNOW : Recovery of a carbine gun and two other weapons from western UP gangster Narendra Bhatti and his aide Kuldeep Jaat, who were arrested on Wednesday night, has hinted towards nationwide racket of Biharbased firearms dealer. The investigators apprehend that Lucknow and its adjoining districts are being used as transit points for firearms smuggling to different places.
The city police had arrested Bhatti and Jaat after a fierce encounter at an underconstruction LDA building near Hanshkheda village in Para area here on Wednesday night. Bhatti had also suffered a bullet injury in his thigh during retaliatory firing. Cops had recovered a carbine gun, a pistol and a country made firearm from their possession. At least 23 cartridges were also seized.
A senior police official, who is associated with the investigation, said the duo revealed during interrogation that they had purchased these firearms from a Bihar based firearms dealer and it was delivered to them outside Barabanki railway station.
He said the dealer is associated with a nationwide racket of firearms being operated by a Bihar based mafioso-turned-politician having stronghold in Munger and Siwan districts of Bihar.
“Firearms are manufactured in Munger which is known for its notoriety in illegal firearms units while Siwan, which is close to UP border, is being used for fixing firearms deals with gangs of different states,” he said and added, “Lucknow and its adjoining districts like Barabanki, Rae Bareli and Sitapur are being used as transit points for firearms delivery.”
The official said the investigation also revealed that it is not the first time when the firearms delivery was made to different criminals and gangs in Lucknow and adjoining districts but has been done multiple times in the past.
He said probe had confirmed that same Bihar based racket also supplies firearms to other notorious criminal gangs of the state. He said the state police officials have sought help of Bihar police to crack this nexus of firearms dealers to curb its supply to criminal gangs.