Delhi Police busts interstate arms racket, seize 14 pistols

New Delhi: Delhi Police has busted an interstate illegal arms supply network, arresting two alleged traffickers and seizing 14 pistols and 20 live cartridges following raids in Haryana’s Mewat region.

Police said the case surfaced after the arrest of Kunwar Pal, 27, an alleged interstate arms supplier, in southwest Delhi’s Baba Haridas Nagar area on Sept 13 last year. Eight country-made pistols and 10 live cartridges were recovered from his possession, following which a case under the Arms Act was registered.

During interrogation, Pal allegedly revealed that he was working on the directions of Harmesh Singh, who had been absconding for several months. Police later secured non-bailable warrants against Singh.

Acting on fresh intelligence, police teams raided Jurhera village in Mewat on Monday and arrested Harmesh, a 47-year-old resident of Rajasthan’s Deeg district, said DCP (Dwarka) Kushal Pal Singh.

Based on Harmesh’s disclosures, police recovered one sophisticated pistol, five country-made pistols and 10 live cartridges. Investigators said the accused had been supplying illegal firearms to criminals in Delhi and neighbouring areas.

In all, police seized 14 pistols — one sophisticated and 13 country-made — and 20 cartridges. Police said Harmesh has at least five previous criminal cases, and efforts are on to trace other members of the network and their buyers.