New Delhi: Delhi Police has apprehended five illegal arms manufacturers and suppliers from Rajasthan in a three-day operation, an official said on Monday.
The accused were allegedly involved in supplying country-made firearms to various gangs, including the Vikas Lagarpuria gang.
The crackdown led to the recovery of 10 country-made pistols (kattas) and a long 12-bore rifle, along with 17 , he said.
The police also dismantled a hilltop unit used for manufacturing these weapons and seized tools and instruments used in their production.
The arrests were made during the ongoing investigation into an Arms Act case, registered at Crime Branch Police Station in Delhi, following the earlier apprehension of Rohit Gahlot, a key member of the Lagarpuria gang.
"Gahlot was caught with two illegal pistols and three live rounds. During interrogation, he revealed he had procured the arms from one Juber, a resident of the Pahadi area in Deeg in Rajasthan, prompting Delhi Police to launch a targeted operation," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Surender Kumar in a press briefing said.
He said that the accused have been identified as Harvinder Singh (46), Sonu Singh (23), Mubin (62), Sher Mohmad alias Sheru (42) and Juber (28). Among them, Mubin and Sheru were the main manufacturers, while the rest acted as couriers and suppliers to criminal networks operating in Delhi and adjoining states.
"The operation was carried out over three days after months of surveillance and reconnaissance in the Pahadi area in Deeg," said the Joint CP.
The team was specifically tasked by senior officers to develop intelligence on the supply chains of illicit arms that are widely used in robberies, extortion, and inter-gang rivalries in Delhi and nearby regions. They raided multiple hideouts in four villages simultaneously.
"The arrests did not come easy. Teams faced hostile resistance during the operation, with the accused reportedly opening fire in an attempt to evade capture. However, the team managed to overpower the suspects and made the arrests without any casualties," he said.
Juber, the alleged kingpin, is a 28-year-old ironsmith and the nephew of Mubin. He started out learning firearm manufacturing and later turned into a full-time supplier, the police alleged.
He earned commissions of Rs 2,000–3,000 per firearm sold and was reportedly running an agricultural equipment shop to disguise his illegal activities.
The officer said that Harvinder Singh, a class 5 dropout and resident of Alwar, was previously working as a battery and RO repair technician.
After a property dispute with his family, he sought arms for personal security and eventually became involved in buying and reselling illegal weapons.
Sonu Singh, Harvinder’s 23-year-old cousin, had done his graduation and worked as a recovery agent with a private company.
Mubin, the oldest among the group at 62, has allegedly been manufacturing illegal firearms since 2013, having learned the craft from one Fatte, who died in 2017.
He was earlier arrested in 2018 under the Arms Act. He confessed to selling desi kattas for Rs 10,000–12,000 and rifles for Rs 25,000–30,000.
Mubin operated makeshift workshops and sourced weapon parts from scrap dealers in the Kama area.
Sher Mohmad alias Sheru, aged 42, is a small kiryana store owner who learned to make firearms in Utawad Nangla in Uttar Pradesh in 2010. He has a history of similar offences and was previously booked in 2015 under the Arms Act, the police alleged.
Further investigations are underway to identify and apprehend more members of the supply chain.
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