Three arrested trying to sell antique cannon

The brass cannon,estimated at Rs 65 lakh,was 20.5 inches long and weighed 25 kg,police said. It is 3 inches in circumference and has a seven-inch attached iron rod. “We had received a tip-off that three men would meet at an isolated place at Dharavi T-junction,opposite the Johnson and Johnson building,around 11.30 pm on Monday to try and sell an antique object. We arrested them and found the cannon in a black backpack,” said Dhananjay Kulkarni,DCP (Zone 5).

“Prima facie,it appears to be an antique firearm. It has a front-loading muzzle and an ignition at the rear of the chamber. It can fire,if loaded. We will call experts from Archaeological Survey of India on Wednesday to examine it,” he said.

Kulkarni said Chauhan claimed the object was a family heirloom. “However,he did not have a licence mandatory to posses a firearm under Arms Act. We are trying to find out how the weapon came to Mumbai and to whom it was to be sold.”