Latest news with #Sikligar
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Time of India
STF nabs man with 8 pistols, Sikligar arms smuggling racket busted in Rudrapur
Dehradun: Eight semi-automatic pistols meant to be sold during panchayat elections were recovered from a man in Rudrapur on Wednesday night, exposing for the first time the alleged involvement of the Sikligar community from Madhya Pradesh in illegal arms trafficking in Uttarakhand. Khajan Singh, 24, a resident of Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district. He was arrested by the special task force (STF) of Uttarakhand police from Rudrapur bus station following a tip-off, SSP (STF) Navneet Singh Bhullar said. "He was accompanied by three other acquaintances in a car. They dropped him at the bus station and sped away, followed by an ongoing investigation to nab them too. After nabbing Singh, police frisked his bag and recovered eight semi-automatic pistols from his possession," Bhullar said. Singh was then taken into custody. During interrogation, he told police he had travelled to Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh on July 20 to procure the weapons from a Sikligar village and intended to sell them in Uttarakhand during the ongoing local body elections. He returned to Rudrapur on the night between Wednesday and Thursday. He revealed that he bought the pistols from Sartaz Singh, a notorious arms smuggler belonging to the Sikligar community in MP and admitted to sourcing weapons from him on earlier occasions too. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Singh, who had previously been lodged in jail for loot and arms smuggling cases, said he planned to sell the pistols for Rs 60,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh each. STF officials said Singh's statement pointed to a deeper supply chain of locally made firearms feeding into electoral violence. "A probe is on to find out about his customers and nab his associates involved in the crime," Bhullar said. The Sikligars, who are found among both Hindu and Sikh communities, were historically gunsmiths in Guru Gobind Singh's army. After the colonial-era ban on arms-making, many families from the community — particularly those in Burhanpur, Dhar and Khargone — are suspected to have continued the trade clandestinely. In recent years, several police operations in MP have uncovered large caches of locally fabricated pistols, Mausers and revolvers made using truck springs, bicycle frames and scrap iron in makeshift furnaces. An investigation on the same by the MP police also revealed that they were supplying illegal arms to at least 19 states. The weapons are often trafficked across state borders to Punjab, Delhi, UP, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand through a network of carriers and buyers. In one such case, Punjab police busted a similar module in Khargone linked to radical outfits and gangs. Officers added that Singh's case was a direct example of how these low-cost weapons — some of which take up to 10 days to manufacture — enter electoral hotspots and fuel local crime. The demand around elections allows smugglers to push prices from Rs 1,000–2,000 for crude pistols to as high as Rs 1.5 lakh for improved semi-automatic models
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Time of India
How illegal factories in MP, UP fuel gun trade & culture in NCR
Gurgaon: During the last 18 months, police have seized over 370 weapons from gangsters or criminals, out of which 222 pistols were manufactured in Madhya Pradesh and 148 country-made pistols were produced in Uttar Pradesh. These recoveries were made from Jan 2024 till June 2025. In fact, pistol and country-made pistols (katta) — manufactured at several illegal firearms factories in MP and UP respectively — are being supplied to gangs in NCR. Pistols are priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 1 lakh, while country-made pistols are available for Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. According to police, gangsters, based abroad, supplied arms to their members in India. Many youngsters, attracted to gang culture, purchased these weapons through social media platforms and WhatsApp groups. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon 370 and counting Gurgaon police — from Jan 2024 till June 2025 — seized 370 illegal firearms that were manufactured in MP and UP. Police arrested 235 accused and recovered approximately 250 weapons across 198 cases last year. From Jan to June this year, authorities recovered 120 weapons in 95 cases and apprehended 127 accused. Snatchers, robbers and those individuals who are involved in petty crimes possess these weapons, police said. Recently, a crime branch team from the city recently recovered illegal firearms from members of the gangster Lipin Nehra's group. Nehra, who is believed to be in the US, is a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and faces over 20 criminal cases, including murder, says a senior police officer. The officer said Nehra had supplied pistols manufactured in Madhya Pradesh to his gang and directed them to eliminate a rival gang member. However, police arrested two men in possession of illegal pistols allegedly supplied by Nehra. "The arrested duo received the weapons from unidentified persons sent by their gang leader for the task. Many efforts have been made to zero in on these illegal factories operating in MP but the business continues to flourish," the senior officer. Another officer said illegal pistols are readily available in various parts of Madhya Pradesh, such as Burhanpur, Khargone, Dhar and Khandwa. "A Sikligar community in MP makes these weapons for their livelihood. They buy iron rods in bulk from scrap and then mould them into weapons. Many arms factories are operating there in the residential area too. Local police shield them if we try to nab them," the officer said. The situation is similar in Uttar Pradesh, where illegal firearm factories are active in regions including Meerut, Aligarh, Sambhal and Ghaziabad. UP Police, in collaboration with the STF, seized 300 guns and 50,000 bullets from an illegal factory operating in Mirzaganj, Lucknow last month.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Time of India
Two gunrunners from Rajasthan arrested in Khargone
Khargone: Two gunrunners from Rajasthan were arrested in Khargone district on Thursday. They were returning from Bedia police station area after buying firearms. Khargone superintendent of police Dharamraj Meena told media persons that acting on a tip-off, Bedia police station in-charge Dharmendra Yadav and his team stopped two individuals near Dabi village. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During this, both the accused tried to escape but were caught after a chase of about 5 km, he added. He said that three illegally manufactured country-made pistols were recovered from them, which they bought from a Sikligar of the area. The accused were identified as Suresh Doodi Vishnoi and Sunil Geela Vishnoi, residents of Jalore district in Rajasthan. The SP said that the accused were familiar with this area as they acquired arms from here earlier as well. Four crimes under the Arms Act are registered against Suresh in Jodhpur, and one crime under the NDPS Act is registered against Sunil in Machan of Rajasthan, Meena said. He mentioned that a detailed investigation is being conducted in this case. The accused were produced before the court, from where they were sent to judicial custody.
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Time of India
Two Punjab gunrunners escape from Jaitapur police station
Khargone: Two Punjab-based gunrunners, who were under arrest with firearms, escaped from Jaitapur police station in Khargone district early on Saturday morning. Khargone superintendent of police Dharmraj Meena told media persons in the evening that the two accused, 19-year-old Veerpal Singh and 28-year-old Jagwinder Singh, residents of Jalandhar, absconded from Jaitapur police station at around 4 am. He stated that another crime case was registered against them and extensive efforts were underway to apprehend them by cordoning off the entire border area. He assured that they would be arrested soon. He disclosed that both were arrested on Friday near Gopalpura with two illegally manufactured firearms after which they were presented in court and police obtained a two-day remand. . Meena said, "The accused were kept handcuffed during police remand, the main gate of the police station was locked, and two constables were on duty while the remaining staff were engaged in night patrolling." He explained, "One of the accused, with thin wrists, slipped his hand out of the handcuffs, retrieved the handcuff key from the drawer and opened the restraints, after which the other accused escaped with the handcuffs on." According to CCTV footage, the duo escaped by crossing the fence behind the police station rather than using the main road. Police personnel initiated search operations within 20 minutes of learning about the escape. The SP clarified that no prior offence was registered against them in Punjab or within the district. He further revealed that the accused entered the area for the first time and acquired illegal firearms from a villager acting as a carrier, who reportedly dealt with a Sikligar of the region. It's notewaorty that after 2022 Ram Navami riots in Khargone, the then chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan had announced an upgrade of Jaitapur police post to a police station. On April 18, 2025, it was officially upgraded. Khargone: Two Punjab-based gunrunners, who were under arrest with firearms, escaped from Jaitapur police station in Khargone district early on Saturday morning. Khargone superintendent of police Dharmraj Meena told media persons in the evening that the two accused, 19-year-old Veerpal Singh and 28-year-old Jagwinder Singh, residents of Jalandhar, absconded from Jaitapur police station at around 4 am. He stated that another crime case was registered against them and extensive efforts were underway to apprehend them by cordoning off the entire border area. He assured that they would be arrested soon. He disclosed that both were arrested on Friday near Gopalpura with two illegally manufactured firearms after which they were presented in court and police obtained a two-day remand. . Meena said, "The accused were kept handcuffed during police remand, the main gate of the police station was locked, and two constables were on duty while the remaining staff were engaged in night patrolling." He explained, "One of the accused, with thin wrists, slipped his hand out of the handcuffs, retrieved the handcuff key from the drawer and opened the restraints, after which the other accused escaped with the handcuffs on." According to CCTV footage, the duo escaped by crossing the fence behind the police station rather than using the main road. Police personnel initiated search operations within 20 minutes of learning about the escape. The SP clarified that no prior offence was registered against them in Punjab or within the district. He further revealed that the accused entered the area for the first time and acquired illegal firearms from a villager acting as a carrier, who reportedly dealt with a Sikligar of the region. It's notewaorty that after 2022 Ram Navami riots in Khargone, the then chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan had announced an upgrade of Jaitapur police post to a police station. On April 18, 2025, it was officially upgraded.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Time of India
3 held with illegal weapons
Barwani: Police arrested three youths from Maharashtra on Friday, who were returning after buying illegal weapons in the Warla police station area of Barwani district. They searched Umarthi, the infamous village for weapon making, on YouTube. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Warla police station in-charge, Saurabh Batham, stated that acting on a tip-off, a car was stopped in front of a hotel on Warla Balwadi Road. However, the accused did not stop and, in an attempt to flee, collided the car with a tree. Police detained the three youths inside the car. They were identified as Yusuf Chaugule, Ganesh Gaikwad, and Rahul Adav from Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. Police seized two , four country-made guns, four cartridges, and a car from them. Batham mentioned that two cases were registered against Yusuf in Ahmednagar, and six cases were registered against Ganesh Gaikwad in various police stations of Maharashtra. Batham said, "The three accused came here after learning about the weapons being made in Umarthi on YouTube." The accused stated that pigs come to their fields, causing injuries to some people and damaging the crops. Due to this, they came here to buy weapons and purchased them from a masked Sikligar. The police said that the weapon seller, Sikligar, is being searched.
