Lockdown muzzles Uttar Pradesh’s illegal gun trade

MEERUT: Over four months of lockdown and a subsequent sharp dip in criminal activities have taken a toll on UP’s illegal arms making trade, rendering the underground factories almost defunct and the criminals it hired jobless. In the period between January 1 and June 15, 2019, as many as 228 illegal arms manufacturing units were busted in UP but the number fell to 50 in the corresponding period in 2020.
The data accessed by TOI from the office of UP’s ADG (law & order) also shows a drastic drop in the seizure of illegal bullet cartridges --from 23,269 in 2019 to 14,986 in 2020.Similarly, seizure of country-made firearms also fell from 12,572 to 7,625 in the corresponding period.
But police brass is worried that the upcoming panchayat polls may offer the illegal industry a fresh lease of life. Poll-related rivalries reached a crescendo during the period.
“The remarkable drop is because of two reasons: Better policing and Covid-19 lockdown. But there lies a challenge for the future. Now people are coming out as lockdown is easing. With it, there is a spurt in the busting of illegal arms factories. Six months later, panchayat polls might be held, because of which rural politics will heat up. Police are nevertheless on its toes to counter any such challenge, be it busting and destroying units that manufacture illicit arms or trying to prevent the entry of such weapons from Bihar or MP borders,” said UP’s ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar.
Elections to nearly 59,000 village panchayats in UP are due. The term of village panchayats ends on December 15. Now, there has been a steady rise in violent incidents in the already charged-up atmosphere in the state despite months of successive lockdowns.
More than 12 murders have taken place in the last two months, the last one in Baghpat when dreaded gangster Paramvir Tugana was attacked in a village rivalry on June 22. Tugana, who was mustering support for himself and his relative for his candidature, was fatally wounded when assailants opened indiscriminate fire at him and his supporters. Five persons were injured, including Tugana who succumbed to bullet injuries a week later last Monday.