Photo: The accused Sajid and the illegal firearms and ammunition recovered from him.

A team of Special Cell has arrested an interstate firearms trafficker - Sajid, a resident of Bharatpur in Rajasthan.

Twenty illegal pistols including 10 each of .32 bore semiautomatic pistols and .315 bore single shot pistols along with 50 live cartridges (20 cartridges of .32 bore and 30 cartridges of .315 bore) have been recovered from him. The firearms were brought to Delhi to be supplied to criminals in Delhi and NCR.

Several gangs are indulging in supply of illegal weapons to criminals in Delhi-NCR and surrounding areas. This had also found support from the recovery of sophisticated illegal firearms and ammunition from notorious criminals and gangsters arrested in recent times in Delhi and NCR.

Keeping in mind the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections and in order to cut this supply of illegal firearms and ammunition to criminals in Delhi-NCR, special efforts are being made to track and arrest the illegal arms traffickers.

After continuous efforts, information was received that about a man being involved in interstate illegal firearms trafficking. The input said he was coming to Delhi to supply arms and ammunition to criminals of NCR.

Police laid a trap and apprehended Sajid from Talkatora Park roundabout in New Delhi along with 10 illegal semiautomatic pistols of .32 bore, 10 illegal single shot pistols of .315 bore, 20 live cartridges of .32 bore and 30 live cartridges of .315 bore.

Sajid hails from Mewat region of Rajasthan's Bharatpur district. He did his schooling till Class 7 in his village. He has seven siblings. He is also married and has five children. He was living separately from his father's family in the same village.

Previously, Sajid used to work as a truck driver. Thereafter, he ran a dhaba at Lebad bypass, Dhar on NH 47. During his stay in Dhar, he came in contact of illegal firearms manufacturers and suppliers. During his stint as a driver, he colluded with many illegal arms traffickers of Mewat region in transporting of illegal firearms from Madhya Pradesh to Mewat and Delhi.

Through these illegal firearms traffickers, he came in contact with criminals in Delhi-NCR. Finding this illegal trade lucrative, he closed his dhaba and focused on arms trafficking. Since then, he has been involved in supplying arms and ammunition to criminals for the past three years.

He used to procure arms and ammunition from the Madhya Pradesh and supply the same to criminals in Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh. He used to buy .32 bore pistol for around Rs 7 to 8 thousand and single shot pistols of .315 bore for around Rs 2 to 3 thousand and further sold them at an increased price of around Rs 20 to 25 thousand and Rs 4 to 5 thousand respectively.