Indians For Guns

Countrymade weapons much in use
82 pc firearms used by criminals in city since 2000 illegal
Ramanjit Singh Sidhu
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 11

The long wait for procuring a valid arms licence has not helped in lowering the crime rate. Firearms used by criminals in various incidents reported in the city show that their supply is much greater than the licensed ones. Over four-fifth, 82 per cent, of the firearms used in different crimes in the city during the last nine years were illegal.

In the period from January 1, 2000, to September, 2009, of the total 88 cases registered under provisions of the Arms Act, as many as 72 cases pertained to the use of countrymade weapons in the crime.

Going by the fact that it is not easy to obtain a licensed weapon, criminals prefer to go for an easy and cheap purchase. A countrymade pistol, called ‘katta’, is readily available in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. For obvious reasons, the major one being avoiding easy identification, a criminal will not opt to use a licensed weapon.

Giving details, a senior police officer said, “Criminals prefer using a ‘use-and-throw’ weapon. Even those weapons that are recovered cannot be traced to their source. It is incredible that despite full public knowledge about the weapons being easily available in the neighbourhood, state governments concerned have done nothing substantial to check the problem. It is very difficult for us to carry out any investigation or ground action in the territory of another state.”

“In normal routine, the process of getting an arms licence is a tedious one. A gun manufactured at an ordnance factory costs between Rs 85,000 and Rs 1 lakh,” said Rajesh Sharma, president of the local unit of the Anti-Terrorist Front.

Sharma retrieved data on the use of illegal and licensed firearms in crime in the period between January 1, 2000, and September, 2009, to analyse crime trends in the city.

Information provided by the Chandigarh police revealed that of the 88 cases registered under the Arms Act, licensed weapons were used only in 16 incidents, of which three were of suicide and the rest involved their use in self-defence.

National Crime Record Bureau studies showed that of the 33,428 murders committed in 2007 in the country, only 598 murders (1.79 per cent) were committed using licensed weapons.

Readily Available

‘Katta’, a countrymade pistol, is easily available from Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh as well as several places in Bihar. The pistol, priced between Rs 1,500 and Rs 5,000, is made from crude raw material, including water pipes and steering wheels. The weapon is available through a ‘source’, which can be a goon from the local colony, who gets a share in the purchase.

By the babu's logic, since the Maoists are using stolen Police firearms against the Police should they be disarming the Police!

Profits are high as each tamancha costs them roughly Rs250 to manufacture and is sold for twice as much at least. The gunsmiths make something like Rs1 lakh a month on an average. During elections, profits rise as they receive bulk orders and must work with a team to meet deadlines.......The police is not a problem but an integral part of the business, according to knowledgeable sources. The manufacturers claim they need to give a regular cut to local authorities who thereafter turn a blind eye to the trade. Occasionally, the police may also procure kattas or tamanchas from these factories. These are then “planted” during raids.

They believe its states responsibility to protect its people

If everyone owns an arm... then we will become a barbaric tribe.... "Power flows from a barrel of Gun"... This was the point at which I thought the debate won't go anywhere

sometimes i think that people at large are afraid to face the facts. so they invent their own facts and ideas which goes contrary to any known and proven facts. in this way they hide from the truth and live happy ever after until one day........

The cops have a major predilection for fudging NCRB stats-like how they will not give you a B report for a stolen car or property-because it is an UNSOLVED crime and is bad for their records.So, be prepared for the reverse here-any crime, which has the faintest relation to arms act IS converted to one under the Arms Act! bonus points I think?I wouldnt be surprised if the real no was 1/10 the quoted no