Even as the Mumbai Police enforces a special drive to curb smuggling and use of illegal arms into the city, arresting hundreds and seizing arms in large quantities, the ammunition for these weapons and the source of these has continued to puzzle investigators. Police officers say that while the guns being seized are both country-made or factory-made, the ammunition seized is always factory-made, and there are scant clues as to how standard, factory-made ammunition makes its way into the hands of gunrunners. Till November this year, the Mumbai Police had arrested 300 persons for possession of illegal firearms, seizing 255 guns and 715 rounds of ammunition from them. Police sources said that for a long time, attempts have been made to trace the source of the ammunition but the probe never goes beyond a certain point. “Guns are broadly of two categories. The country-made guns or desi kattas can be assembled easily, and are usually good for one time use. Factory-made guns can come from small-scale factories, which are present in large numbers in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, from where a majority of the guns that we have seized seem to have come from. The ammunition, however, could have come from any of the ordnance factories in the country, which indicates pilferage in large quantities as well as on a regular basis,” said an officer. Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) KMM Prasanna added, “We have tried to trace the source of the ammunition several times. However, the investigation stops once we reach the state or city where the seized arsenal has been sent into the city.” Officers said making ammunition was not as easy as assembling guns, and hence, manufacturing it within the confines of a house, at least in large numbers, had been ruled out. Apart from the machinery, one would also have to get hold of the right ingredients, mix it in the right quantities and ensure that the bullet is manufactured in a way that it is fired properly from the gun instead of blowing up before leaving the barrel, said a source. In November, the Crime Branch had arrested 13 people allegedly working for a wanted fugitive, and had seized six pistols and 26 live rounds from them. All the rounds were factory-made. The probe into the source of the ammunition is still under way. gautam.mengle@expressindia.com
