From Kattas To Swanky Pistols, Buying Guns Is Easy In This City | Jaipur News
The attack on a jeweller on Monday night and a daylight robbery inside a bank about a fortnight ago are grim reminders of how illegal firearms keep pouring into the city. These guns easily find their way to all types of criminals without any trouble.
An official posted in the crime branch told TOI that a rugged desi katta from Madhya Pradesh can cost up to Rs 5,000, while a pistol is estimated to be Rs 35,000. The alarming increase in gun violence is also attributed to financial disputes, property mafia and rivalries between petty gangs that often resort to firearms to intimidate each other.
“There are several people who smuggle guns made in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone and Dhar, and bring them to Rajasthan through different routes,” the official said, adding that illegal weapons are also made in different regions of Uttar Pradesh.
“Illegal weapons from neighbouring states far outnumber the ones produced in Rajasthan. Arms trafficker brings these firearms from different routes including Kota-Jhalawar regions,” the official said.
On January 25, the crime branch had arrested two notorious gangsters Rajdeep Barad (25) and Ashish Vishnoi (30). The preliminary investigation showed that Vishnoi and Barad had purchased guns from Indore in Madhya Pradesh and sold seven of them to one Nishat in Sriganganagar. They also delivered nearly seven other high-quality weapons to a Haryana-based criminal.
A common katta of a 315 bore can fire one shot at a time before it needs to be reloaded, an illegal pistol, on the other hand, can fire multiple shots in quick succession. The official added that the gun traffickers thrive on “mouth publicity,” to fetch a new clientele.
“There are trained gunsmiths who can replenish empty brass shells with explosive chemicals,” the official said, adding that people who have licensed firearms also smuggle out cartridges after reporting them as missing on official documents.
“It is not just guns, but gangs also use their muscle powers by brandishing swords to intimidate people and settle rivalries,” said an official. The police had started operation Action Against Guns (AAG) to crack down on firearms in the city in 2020.
