Bharatpur emerging as hub of illegal arms in Rajasthan: Police data

The Bharatpur division seems to be turning into a hub of illegal arms in Rajasthan. According to the police data, more arms smugglers were arrested from three districts in the division in last three months than those in 2018.

In 2018, 33 people were arrested in Bharatpur on charges of smuggling illegal weapons. The number of arrests in Dholpur was 21, in Karauli 20 and in Sawai Madhopur, nine. This year, in just five months, 70 arms smugglers were arrested in Bharatpur, 41 in Dholpur, 42 in Karauli and 12 in Sawai Madhopur, the police data show.

“This could be because of a special campaign against illegal weapons during the Lok Sabha election,” said Bharatpur superintendent of police Haider Ali Zaidi. “Supply of illegal weapons increases during elections. Therefore, police launch drives to catch people involved in the trade and recover the illegal weapons,” he added.

During other times, police cite lack of staff and resources to check supply of illegal weapons into the state. Bharatpur, called the eastern gateway to Rajasthan, borders Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Police said illegal weapons are made in villages and towns located on the interstate borders with these two states.

Zaidi said police teams have been constituted to raid factories of illegal weapons in these areas. “We will soon carry out raids on them,” he added.

Police set up barricades during night on roads leading into and out of Rajasthan to check smuggling of illegal weapons. On Monday, Gopalgarh police arrested Tareef Khan from Hathiya village under Barsana police station of Uttar Pradesh and Aas Mohammad from Savlana village under Kaman police station with illegal weapons during barricading. In March also, two people were arrested on the charges of smuggling weapons during barricading in Gopalgarh.

People who sell cartridges to those having illegal weapons are also under police radar, Zaidi said.

Interstate police conferences are held from time to time for better coordination among police of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to check manufacturing and supply of weapons and other criminal activities.

First Published: May 28, 2019 11:33 IST