Sidhu Moosewala situation.

[Uttamjeet Singh]

I am new and i don't know if this is the right way to start a discussion, anyways I'll proceed. This is what i have to say regarding the firearms knowledge of the Punjab police and police in general in india. As you are probably aware a very Famous Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh alias Sidhu Moosewala was killed in an assassination carried out with firearms, post the murder the police held a press conference to brief the public about the immediate discoveries.
The DGP himself was addressing the media and he said various different calibre firearms were used in the assassination judging from the spent shells found at the crime scene. He mentioned there were 9mm as well as .455 cases, now that surprises me as you know .455 is the webley revolver round and it's highly unlikely the assailants were using a webley revolver. Secondly they were saying that an AN94 was used in the assassination which fires the 5.45*39 now maybe the DGP mistook the 5.45 round for .455 which seems possible but it's a big blunder nevertheless. However the 5.45 round is also used in the Ak 74 which is the standard issue rifle of Russian forces so how can the police say it was an AN94 since there is no cctv footage of the assassination and eyewitnesses probably can't tell any difference between the two rifles. The AN94 is rare even in Russia and just a few hundred were made by my recollection, they are just used by some special forces in Russia so how come such a rifle made it's way into India. I'd be even surprised if it was an AK 74 let alone an AN 94, in india criminal elements use mostly 9mm and .30 calibre Tokarev pistols, if an AK series rifle firing 5.45*36 was used it would most likely have been an AK 74 not an AN 94.
I don't know how the police confidently made such statements and by the DGP no less, I hope I'm wrong but to me it seems unlikely. If this was not a proper place to post this i would request any member to post it at the appropriate place or guide me how to do it because i couldn't figure it out.

[yes.sir98]

Even I am a bit sceptical at the AN 94 claims.
it's rare to see one outside Russia and for gangsters to get hands on one seems to be to good to be true kinda situation.

Whereas, the presence of AK74s and 5.45 Soviet rounds in the sub continent is well established, especially is Afghanistan and Pakistan.

However, something more sinister has happened post the whole incident, the anti gun crowd of India has begin pushing the propoganda of 'Bad' and 'Evil' gun culture in Punjab.

Some youtubers who post social commentary (mostly copying facts of Wikipedia) have advised the government to 'cull the menace of gun culture in Punjab'.

[Vineet]

A nearby tyre shop owner made a seven second long video clip which is with police. Things could be clear when the clip will come out.

Police must have found the empties and they know what weapons were used but they don’t disclose everything during press conference. It’s kind of humiliating for them to announce that some assault rifle was used in the attack.

[marksman]

I do agree with Vineet but then I have come across quite a few Sr. officers handling Mumbai Arms Dept. totally ignorant of fire arms. One insisted that .303 British was and is prohibited because its the most powerful cartridge in the world. I had hard time convincing him of the facts and had to show him one loaded .375 H&H Magnum round, it being the largest caliber rifle I had then. He almost mistook it for a Anti Aircraft round. I have often tried telling my friends holding high post in police and state Govt,.to educate the Police force on fire arms in general & Ammo as well but that seem to be the least of their worry in most states I assume.
Marksman

[Vineet]

I do agree with Vineet but then I have come across quite a few Sr. officers handling Mumbai Arms Dept. totally ignorant of fire arms. One insisted that .303 British was and is prohibited because its the most powerful cartridge in the world. I had hard time convincing him of the facts and had to show him one loaded .375 H&H Magnum round, it being the largest caliber rifle I had then. He almost mistook it for a Anti Aircraft round. I have often tried telling my friends holding high post in police and state Govt,.to educate the Police force on fire arms in general & Ammo as well but that seem to be the least of their worry in most states I assume.
Marksman

Right. Police officers at higher post doesn’t know much about weapons.