22 pistols seized, cops arrest three gunrunners

Three men have been arrested in the Capital for illegal firearm trade. Police said they have seized 22 sophisticated semi-automatic pistols.

The accused have been identified as Salaam, 52, Kalua, 57, both from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut and Pradeep Mandlik, 24, of Ahmadnagar in Maharastra.

“A haul of 22 semi-automatic sophisticated pistols of 7.65 mm bearing mark ‘Made in England’ along with 22 extra magazines, a Hyundai Santro car have been recovered from them. 

Weapons

The weapons were meant for supply in Kardampuri and Mangolpuri of Delhi,” said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).

On Tuesday, they received information that a huge consignment of illegal weapons shall be supplied in a Santro at Wazirabad Road in Nand Nagri area.

A police team was constituted and around 09.20 am, they laid a trap and all the three accused were arrested. 

They came in the car from UP and halted on the service road of Wazirabad Road. 

Two persons came out of the vehicle and were waiting for someone. 

The driver remained seated in the car. “All the three persons were overpowered,” said Yadav. They initially tried to bluff the police team but could not succeed. 

They revealed that they used inbuilt capsule cavities below the backseat of the car besides the petrol tank and inside the front doors to conceal the weapons.

A thorough search resulted in recovery of 22 pistols as well as 22 spare magazines from the car.

During investigation, involvement a Tanman Singh who hails from Madhya Pradesh came to light. 

He is the manufacturer as well as main supplier of illegal arms and ammunition.He manufactures and delivers illegal firearms to his contacts in Delhi through Salaam, Kalua and Pradeep. 

“They supply weapons to almost every part of the country. It is also revealed that all of them supplies at least one such consignment every fortnight,” said Yadav. 

“Further investigation is in progress and a hunt is on to nab Tanman,” added Yadav.