Gun Policy News
Gun violence, gun control and small arms
Afghanistan and Libya: All Weapons in the Hands of Islamic Terrorists
22 September 2021
Corriere della Sera (italy)
Afghanistan, Libya and Syria are the three crises that today fuel the archipelago of Islamic extremism. Three countries that are out of control and where Western intervention has increased the risk to global security. In Doha, in recent months, the Americans negotiated the withdrawal from Afghanistan with the Taliban, promising: we will leave, but you will not allow al Qaeda or other extremist groups to operate in the country. We know how that went. And when countries... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica,Venezuela,Haiti,Honduras,Trinidad & Tobago,Mexico,Belize,Colombia,El Salvador,Brazil,Puerto Rico,Guatemala,Pakistan,Panama,Costa Rica,Nicaragua,Uruguay,Dominican Republic,Peru,Ecuador,Paraguay,Argentina,Chile,Bolivia
InSight Crime's 2020 Homicide Round-Up
29 January 2021
InSight Crime
While unrest gripped much of Latin America in 2019, it was the coronavirus that took center stage and ripped through the region in 2020, upending everything from commercial trade to the operations of local gangs and transnational criminal organizations.
It's too early to tell with any degree of certainty how exactly the pandemic may have impacted levels of violence, but there were notable developments, including significant reductions in El Salvador, Guatemala,... (GunPolicy.org)
Punjab Gun Applicants Required to Plant 10 Trees
30 July 2019
CNN
Indian officials have launched a creative new initiative to boost the number of trees in a Punjab state district, requiring all prospective gun owners to plant 10 tree saplings before their application will be considered.
Potential applicants in Ferozepur district will each have to plant 10 saplings and take selfies with them, which they must show to authorities when they go to pick up gun license application forms.
A month later, they need to once again take... (GunPolicy.org)
India Developing a National Firearm Registration Database
17 July 2018
Xinhua
NEW DELHI -- India will have a national database for all licenced gun holders from April next year, the government said.
The Home Ministry said in a notification that the names of all licenced gun holders across the country will be included in the national database and they are also to be given a unique identification number (UIN) from the next financial year.
"Every licensing and renewing authority will have to enter the data in the National Database of Arms Licenses... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Yemen,China,Israel,Russia,Brazil,United Kingdom,Germany,India,Canada,Austria,Australia,Mexico,United States,Japan,South Africa
How to Buy a Gun in 15 Countries
2 March 2018
New York Times
Many Americans can buy a gun in less than an hour. The process takes months in some countries. Here are the basic steps for how most people buy a gun in 15 of them. Many countries have exceptions for specialized professions, and local laws vary.
United States
1) Pass an instant background check that considers criminal convictions, domestic violence and immigration status.
2) Buy a gun. Many states have additional buying restrictions, including waiting periods and... (GunPolicy.org)
Illicit Indian Craft Firearms Smuggled to Bangladesh
4 November 2017
Daily Star (Dhaka)
In recent years, the country's northwestern border in Chapainawabganj has emerged as a major route for smuggling in arms. It has of late become militants' most preferred point for collecting illegal firearms and explosives. This is the route through which terror outfit "Neo JMB" smuggled in the guns and bombs used in last year's Gulshan café attack. With such chilling information surfacing, Shariful Islam visits the zero line area of Indo-Bangla border in the district... (GunPolicy.org)
Illicit Firearm Trends in Sri Lanka
29 October 2017
Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
Early last month, traffic policemen who became suspicious of a licence plate intercepted a hybrid vehicle in which the occupants had Chinese-made assault weapons.
By all indications, if not for the vigilance of the two traffic policemen and sheer luck, a violent crime could have been committed in Gampaha town in broad daylight.
In the incident on October 2, police recovered three T56 assault rifles. The vehicle had been travelling on the road near Gampaha Hospital... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 3.3 Million Licensed Gun Owners in India
3 October 2017
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
Data released by the Union home ministry shows that India has a total of 33,69,444 active gun licences as on December 31, 2016
Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states with active gun licences with a whopping 12.77 lakh people authorised to carry weapons, followed by militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir where 3.69 lakh people possess arms licences.
According to the statistics released by the home ministry, the country has a total of 33,69,444 active gun licences as on... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Craft Production in Bangladesh's Moheshkhali Region
7 January 2017
Dhaka Tribune
The market price of these weapons are quite low, therefore the demand is high among local criminals in Moheshkhali. Apart from being used by local criminals, they are also transferred to other districts around the country evading law enforcers.
On January 4, RAB 7 members traced some weapons to a factory in Cox's Bazar. After raiding the factory, 22 firearms and 22 rounds of bullets were seized along with 33 other equipments used for manufacturing weapons. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Increasing Firearm Smuggling in Bangladesh
13 November 2016
Dhaka Tribune
There are at least 119 points on the border which are being used to smuggle these firearms in, according to sources in intelligence agencies.
Officials say the majority of the arms shipments is entering the country via the border points in Chapainawabganj, Benapole, Satkhira, Comilla and Brahmanbaria districts.
The firearms which are being used in all kinds of scenarios – from trivial arguments to militant attacks, sources said.
According to Border Guard... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Smuggling from India Increases in Bangladesh
13 November 2016
Dhaka Tribune (Bangladesh)
Use of illegal firearms has increased alarmingly in the country as a group of organised smugglers are bringing them into the country taking advantage of weak border security, according to sources in law enforcement agencies
There are at least 119 points on the border which are being used to smuggle these firearms in, according to sources in intelligence agencies.
Officials say the majority of the arms shipments is entering the country via the border points in... (GunPolicy.org)
Violence in Jharkhand, India, Fueled by Handmade Guns
10 November 2016
India Today
It was a Wednesday morning late in June and Sudhanshu Kumar was in class joshing with friends. The class was to leave for the school assembly in a few minutes when the student of Dayanand Public School, Jamshedpur, heard a loud cracking sound and then felt an excruciating pain in his back.
It took the Class XI student a few seconds to realise he had been shot before he slumped on the desk, bleeding. Kumar had been shot by a classmate sitting two rows behind him. The... (GunPolicy.org)
India Places US$1 Billion Order for Ammunition and Weapons
10 November 2016
Chinatopix (New York)
India continues the breathless pace of modernizing the Indian Armed Forces and after ordering new submarines, tanks, surface-to-air missile systems, artillery, assault rifles and fighter jets since the start of 2016 is now placing an order for over $1 billion in ammunition and weapons from international suppliers.
India recognizes it faces critical shortages of ammunition in all its armed services and is bypassing prescribed routine acquisition procedures by invoking... (GunPolicy.org)
Bengal is Becoming Hub of Illegal Handguns and Ammunition
6 November 2016
Economic Times (India)
Meandering roads lead to chaotic lanes. Then the roads vanish, as do the lanes. What remains are muddled passages between cluttered households. Most of these lead to deadends and the rest, chock-ablock with not-so-friendly-looking people, are almost unapproachable. Unlike in most neighbourhoods, locals here don't guide visitors to addresses. Most of the queries go unanswered and are at best met with a reluctant nod. These inimical streets of Kankuli village in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Shooting Illegal in India, Gun Licence May Be Taken
2 November 2016
Hindustan Times (Lucknow)
Firing in the air while celebrating marriages, religious functions or social gatherings is illegal and may result in the cancellation of the licence and initiation of legal action, Delhi Police told the High Court on Wednesday.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice G. Rohini was told by Delhi Police's Arms Licensing Unit that it takes prompt and certain action against offenders on receipt of any complaint of misuse of the firearms.
The firearm licences are issued... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Iraq,Afghanistan
US Lost Track of Millions of Guns Sold to Middle East After 9/11
30 October 2016
The Washington Diplomat (US)
The United States has flooded Iraq and Afghanistan with billions of dollars worth of small arms since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and has lost track of millions of them, according to a recently published report on 412 Department of Defense contracts by the London-based advocacy nonprofit Action on Armed Violence.
People often associate U.S. military assistance with heavy hardware such as armored fighting vehicles, anti-tank weapons and attack helicopters.... (GunPolicy.org)
India Tries Once Again to Buy 185,000 Army Assault Rifles
27 October 2016
Bloomberg (USA)
India's armed forces have embarked on a shopping spree for modern assault rifles, body armor and helmets, providing a potential boost to global arms suppliers.
The 1.3 million-strong military is abandoning its two decade-old Indian made rifles and seeking to outfit its infantry with more up-to-date equipment, scouting for a new model on the global market for 185,000 assault rifles. The Ministry of Defence also needs to buy hundreds of thousands of helmets and tens of... (GunPolicy.org)
Wanted Criminals Arrested, Arms Seized in Pakistan
22 October 2016
Business Recorder (Pakistan)
Police on Friday claimed that they have arrested 115 wanted criminals and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition from their oppression during ongoing strike and search operations against anti-social elements in various areas of district Mardan.
Addressing a news conference in district Mardan, superintendent police (SP)- Operation, Shafiullah Khan Gandapoor said that on the special directives of district police officer (DPO) Fasial Shahzad, several crackdown team... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,Afghanistan,Russia,Central Asia,Pakistan,China,Turkey,Brazil
UN Rule of Thumb Suggests 600,000 Illegal Guns in Australia
21 October 2016
Age (Melbourne)
As many as 600,000 illegal guns could be circulating in the Australian underworld, but national efforts to control the spread is being hampered by inconsistencies between states, a firearms intelligence report has found.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission report on guns - to be released on Friday, the same day as state and federal government representatives meet to thrash out a way to combat illegal firearms - also backs a national amnesty.
Chris Dawson,... (GunPolicy.org)
Eyes on Pakistan, India Preps Gun Makers for Production Surge
18 October 2016
Breitbart
According to the India Times, India at the moment may not be ready to fight a full-blown war with Pakistan beyond a few days due to a shortage of military supplies and near depleted war reserves.
"In particular, the defense ministry is looking at small arms and ammunition and spare parts and weapons for the Sukhoi and Mirage fighter fleets on a priority basis," notes ET.
The news outlet points out that the Indian military is vulnerable to facing critical shortages,... (GunPolicy.org)
Cache of NATO Assault Rifles, Machineguns Seized in Pakistan
5 October 2016
Dawn (Karachi)
A huge cache of Nato weapons and ammunition was recovered by police on Wednesday during a raid on an empty house in the Azizabad area of the metropolis.
Police reportedly seized a large number of weapons including anti-aircraft guns, SMGs, LMGs, sniper rifles, hand grenades and rocket launchers hidden in the water tank of the empty house.
Bulletproof jackets and helmets were also recovered during the raid by police, DawnNews reported.
The raid was conducted after the... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Army Renews Hunt for New-Generation Assault Rifle
28 September 2016
Economic Times (India)
India re-launched on Tuesday its global hunt for new-generation assault rifles after similar attempts over the last decade failed due to unrealistic technical requirements and whiff of corruption, interspersed by debates on whether the gun should "kill" or merely "wound" adversaries.
The project is going to be a mega one, with the Army looking to induct 65,000 rifles in the first go, with another 1,20,000 to be manufactured in India. This, of course, would be just the... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil,Colombia,Mexico,Venezuela,United States,India,Nigeria,South Africa,El Salvador
World is Far Less Violent: Global Murders Halving in a Decade
7 September 2016
Foreign Affairs (USA)
The world has never been safer than it is right now. Most forms of violence have dropped precipitously over the past few centuries. Although conflict deaths recently spiked (the war in Syria accounts for one third of all war-related killings today), fewer people are dying from warfare than at virtually any time in human history. Terrorist violence also increased over the past two years—especially in six countries the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia—but it still... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Afghanistan,Iraq
US Lost Hundreds of Thousands of Guns In Iraq, Afghanistan
24 August 2016
New York Times
Early this year, a Facebook user in Baghdad using the name Hussein Mahyawi posted a photograph of a slightly worn M4 assault rifle he was offering for sale. Veterans of the latest war in Iraq immediately recognized it. It was a standard American carbine equipped with a holographic sight, a foregrip that was military-issue during the occupation and a sticker bearing a digital QR code used by American forces for inventory control. Except for one detail — an aftermarket... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,Afghanistan,Bulgaria,Italy,Syria,Czech Republic,Iran,Libya,Yemen,United Kingdom,Ukraine,United States,South Sudan,France
World Powers Accused of Violating Arms Trade Treaty [ES]
23 August 2016
IPS Noticias
[Translated summary: Human Rights organisations and military analysts accuse the United States, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France and Italy of violating the Arms Trade Treaty by selling to countries in conflict. Experts say that effectively implementing the treaty could save millions of lives.]
NACIONES UNIDAS - Los grandes proveedores de armamento violan el tratado que regula su comercio y que se propone frenar el flujo de armas pequeñas y ligeras hacia las zonas de... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,China,Germany,United Kingdom,France,Russia,Spain,Italy,Israel,India,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,Pakistan,Australia,Turkey,Singapore,South Korea,South Sudan,Ukraine
Killer Facts: The Scale of the Global Arms Trade, Gun Totals
22 August 2016
Amnesty International (London)
Transfers of heavy conventional weapons
The top 10 exporters of conventional arms (excluding small arms/ light weapons – SALW) 2010-15
USA: US$55.006 billion
Russia: US$42.404 billion
China: US$9.943 billion
Germany: US$ 9.467 billion
France: US$ 8.932 billion
UK: US$ 7.627 billion
Spain: US$ 5.310 billion
Italy: US$ 4.360 billion
Ukraine: US$ 4.156 billion
Israel: US$ 3.280 billion
The top 10 importers of conventional arms (excluding SALWs) 2010-15
India:... (GunPolicy.org)
Delhi's Authorities in a Fix Due to Illegal Firearms Market
21 August 2016
New Indian Press (India)
As it grapples with rising gun crime, procuring a firearm in Delhi is as easy as ordering takeaway. AK-47s, Chinese Star pistols, Walther PPKs and more are available for the gangster or terrorist who shops with ease in the city's gun bazaar. Incidents of gun-related deaths have gone up in Delhi.
A Delhi Police constable was shot dead over the weekend by bag snatchers, a first of its kind. Earlier, Delhi Police's Anti-Terror Unit busted an international gang of gun... (GunPolicy.org)
India Relaxes Regulations, Now Welcomes Global Gun Makers
15 August 2016
Asia Sentinel
Driven partly by its developing rivalry with China, India is welcoming global gun manufacturers to set up shop to produce small arms including handguns, rifles, carbines, sub-machine guns, light machine guns and grenade launchers.
New investment rules allow private players to establish manufacturing units, sell to Indian defense forces and even cater to export orders. Forty-nine per cent foreign ownership will be permitted automatically but up to 100 percent FDI can... (GunPolicy.org)
Change to Regulations Excites Indian Gun Makers, Exporters
11 August 2016
India Times
NEW DELHI -- Top small arms manufacturers from across the globe are looking to set up shop in India with a critical tweak in rules by the government that has enabled the private sector to set up manufacturing units and even cater to export orders after due permissions.
The revised Arms Rules 2016, which have been notified by the government last month, have brought clarity to the sector, giving clear rules on how private players can set up shop, bring in foreign... (GunPolicy.org)
Delhi Becomes Safe Haven for Illegal Gun Trafficking Industry
2 August 2016
India Times
When one thinks of Delhi, one thinks of our country's legislative capital, home to the Parliament, the Supreme Court and our nation's top leaders and policy makers. On the surface, it appears to be a relatively lawful city, far from the infamous gang violence of Mumbai. It may come as a surprise that the city has of late become a safe haven for a huge illegal gun trafficking industry. From .315 and 12 bore pistols to assault rifles and AK-47, all sophisticated firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
India's Already Strict Gun Laws Are Tightened Even Further
1 August 2016
Washington Post
NEW DELHI — As mass shooting incidents in the United States rise, India has tightened its firearms regulations, making it even more difficult for common citizens to own a gun.
India already had one of the strictest gun laws in the world, a vestige of British colonial rule, which aimed to disarm its subjects. India law allows citizens to own and carry guns, but it is not a right enshrined in the constitution. Getting a gun license in India is a difficult task that can... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns, Airguns Subject to Stringent New Regulation in India
28 July 2016
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
In a country where gun ownership laws influenced by the British are considered extremely prohibitive and firearms legitimately owned by citizens and sportspersons are dangerously outnumbered by weapons in the hands of criminals and terrorists, the Centre has made gun laws all the more stringent.
On July 15, the Union home ministry brought into force Arms Rules 2016 through a gazette notification that not only make getting a firearm licence under the existing Indian... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Cheaper Than Smartphones in Pakistan's 'Lethal Town'
28 July 2016
India TV News
Infamous for harbouring terror organisations and promoting their 'jihadi' activities that plot and spell doom across the border, it should come as no surprise that the availability of arms and ammunition to aid banned organisations like LeT and Indian Mujahideen is no big deal.
What does come as a shock for many is that guns are not just easily available, they are available dirt cheap.
In Pakistan's tribal town of Darra Adamkhel, guns – used or refurbished... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Mobs Target Police, Troops, Snatch Scores of Firearms
13 July 2016
Times of India
NEW DELHI -- Security forces are bracing for the first Friday prayers after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani against the backdrop of growing evidence of a secessionist plot to raise an arsenal with arms snatched from security forces.
According to sources, a mob took away around 70 semi-automatic and automatic weapons of J&K police after storming a police station in Damhal Hanji Pora in Kulgam two days ago.
On Tuesday, two separate attempts were... (GunPolicy.org)
West Asia,United States,South Asia
Gun Imports to Middle Eastern Countries Doubled - Study
6 June 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
Annual sales of small arms and light weapons to Middle Eastern countries nearly doubled in dollar terms in 2013 over the year before, as conflicts heated up across the region, according to a study released Monday.
Meanwhile, the U.S. was both the biggest exporter and importer of weapons ranging from pistols and military firearms to hunting rifles, ammunition and anti-tank guns, according to the report.
"Trade Update 2016: Transfers and Transparency," a study by the... (GunPolicy.org)
24 Dead In Mass Shooting at a Protest Camp in India
3 June 2016
Associated Press, Guardian
Clashes with squatters in protest camp in Mathura lead to 370 arrests, with police saying they were fired on from treetops
Attempts to evict thousands of people squatting in a makeshift protest camp in a northern Indian city ended in deadly clashes as people opened fire from treetops and police retaliated, leaving at least 24 people dead, authorities have said.
More than 370 people have been arrested for their alleged part in the overnight violence, during which gas... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan Requires Guarantors for Guns in Places of Worship
30 May 2016
Dawn (Karachi)
GUJRAT -- The district government has imposed a condition of three guarantors for seeking a firearm licence for security of a worship place.
This decision was taken after some ruling party lawmakers expressed reservations on the policy of granting such licences to worship places and apprehensions that these weapons could be used in sectarian violence.
District Officer (Coordination) Majid Bin Ahmed who heads the district government's firearm licencing branch told Dawn... (GunPolicy.org)
Champion Shooter Accused of Road Rage Killing in India
16 May 2016
Live Mint
Over the last week, gun licenses have been in the news, thanks to Rakesh Ranjan Yadav aka Rocky Yadav, son of Janata Dal (United) member of the legislative council in Bihar Manorama Devi. Yadav is the prime accused in the killing of 19-year-old Aditya Sachdeva, son of a Gaya-based businessman. The alleged incident followed a row over overtaking on the Bodhgaya-Gaya road.
It has since been reported that the family of Manorama Devi has five firearms licenses among... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunfire Kills Girl Watching Indian Wedding Procession
10 May 2016
Indian Express
Days after a 17-year-old girl died during "celebratory firing" in a wedding procession, her father filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court to curb the practice and frame a strict policy to ensure people with licensed firearms do not "misuse" the license.
"Many cases of celebratory firing have been reported in Delhi recently. Those having licensed arms uses it in public gatherings, religious places, weddings and other functions where the licencee intends to show his... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Teen Shoots Himself Dead While Taking a Selfie
3 May 2016
CNet
Last Friday night, 15-year-old Ramandeep Singh wanted to take a selfie.
However, as The Indian Express reports, he chose to take one while posing with his dad's pistol.
He accidentally shot himself in the head, was taken to hospital in Ludhiana, India, and died from his injuries.
The Telegraph reports that instead of pressing the button on his phone to take the picture, he pulled the gun's trigger. The safety catch, police say, wasn't on.
The Punjab Police didn't... (GunPolicy.org)
Proliferation of Small Arms a Threat to Security in Nepal
1 May 2016
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
The illicit proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons is posing a serious threat to security in the Kathmandu Valley. Officials fear smuggling and easy availability of such firearms is likely to give rise to criminal activities if timely action is not taken.
Police have seized six firearms over a period of last seven months. This is a testimony to the growing gun culture in the Valley. Though the small arms are rarely used in killing, criminal gangs... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal,Oceania,Africa,Asia,Americas,Europe
Global Arms Smuggling and Trafficking Increases Gun Crime
21 April 2016
Telegraph (Nepal), Opinion
No doubt, the country is being increasingly inflicted by smuggling and illegal trade of small arms. This fast festering malaise has intensified serious crimes like murder, extortion, death threats, abduction and robbery. Fears are palpable that the growing market of small arms in the country may wreck the social fabric of the country. This is also hampering the efforts towards overcoming the social and economic trauma left by the decade-long armed conflict. However, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Punjabi Buyers Queue for New Lightweight "Ladies' Revolver"
8 April 2016
Times of India
KANPUR -- Eager buyers from Punjab are queueing up to buy 'Nirbheek', the light-weight revolver made by Kanpur's Field Gun Factory exclusively for women. Sales figures reveal that of the total number of applications received for the gun, almost three-fourth were from Punjab.
"Nirbheek, meaning 'fearless' in Hindi, is fast becoming popular among Punjab folks. About 70-75% guns are being sold to arms dealers from Punjab. However, Delhi women top the chart in purchase of... (GunPolicy.org)
Purse Gun for Women Named for Famous India Rape Victim
19 March 2016
Times of India
KANPUR - The light-weight handgun made exclusively for women after the Delhi gang rape incident, Nirbheek, may soon be available in multiple colours.
"Market feedback has shown that women want Nirbheek in multiple colours. Though we are ready for the switch over, a final decision is yet to be taken," said Sanjeev Kumar, additional general manager of the Field Gun Factory, on the occasion of Ordnance Factory Day here on Friday. The Field Gun Factory is producing the... (GunPolicy.org)
Use of Licensed Arms in Crime Grows in Bangladesh
2 December 2015
Dhaka Tribune
In the absence of proper monitoring, use of legally licensed firearms in criminal activities, such as mugging, robbery and even murders, has become a headache for the authorities.
There are also reports that some of these legal firearms are being given out on rent by their owners.
According to Home Ministry sources, there are nearly 217,000 legal firearms of various types in the country right now, all licensed under the Arms Act 1878. In the last five years, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Monitoring Illicit SALW in Sri Lanka
8 February 2015
Daily Mirror Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's population today is living under the threat of illegally circulating illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), which are still unaccounted for. This is mainly because of the failure of previous governments and particulaly the previous regime's inability to curb the proliferation of illicit small arms in post-war Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka continues to accumulate an unknown number of illicit small arms since the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) insurrection in... (GunPolicy.org)
3 November 2014
The Firearms Blog, Blog
Homemade firearms have long featured strongly in Indian criminology. Known locally as Kattas or tamanchas, these crude handmade pistols account for up to 30% of firearms related crime.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, their use is continuing an upward trend with around 75% of gun homicides in the capital being carried out using homemade weapons. Almost all examples are smooth bore, sometimes utilizing a sanitation pipe or automobile steering shaft as a... (GunPolicy.org)
Lost in Afghanistan: 465,000 Small Arms - US Can't Track Weapons it Sends
29 July 2014
Miami Herald / McClatchy
WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has shipped Afghan security forces tens of thousands of excessive AK-47 assault rifles and other weapons since 2004 and many have gone missing, raising concerns that they've fallen into the hands of Taliban or other insurgent rebels.
John F. Sopko, the U.S. special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, found in a report released Monday that shoddy record-keeping by the Defense Department, the Afghan National Army and the Afghan... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms a Big Threat in Nepalese Valley, Police Operations Target Smugglers
22 June 2014
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - Small arms and light weapons are posing a big threat to public security in Kathmandu Valley.
Cases of the past four days show how smuggling and illegal trade of firearms continues unabated in the Valley resulting in a surge of various criminal activities.
A 21-year-old was caught with a pistol and three rounds of bullets from Chabahil yesterday. The boy and his friends used to threaten and extort money from local vegetable and fruit shops, said police.... (GunPolicy.org)
Op-Ed: The 'Have Gun, Will Shoot' Mindset in India and America
11 June 2014
Daily Pioneer (India), Opinion
In the US, powerful pro-gun lobbies have repeatedly sabotaged every attempt by lawmakers to make the possession of guns more difficult. In India too, it's not very difficult to secure a gun licence. This is a bad omen
Lawmakers in California in the United States are now mulling stricter gun control laws after a young man in the University of California killed six college students and himself. The young man was able to buy three guns and go on a rampage despite warnings... (GunPolicy.org)
Homicide Spree Highlights Illicit Firearm Proliferation in Pakistan
8 June 2014
Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
A hike in gun crimes including homicides, attempted murders and robberies using weapons ranging from 9 mm pistols to T-56 assault rifles, has highlighted the threat posed by firearms getting into the hands of criminals; but the Government's response to the problem has been slow, with little follow-up action on pledges made to various UN bodies to deal with the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, particularly in a postwar scenario.
May and June alone, there... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Police Shocked to Find 'Sophisticated' Locally Made AK-47, Handguns
7 June 2014
Times of India
NEW DELHI - Had he been still alive, Mikhail Kalashnikov may have been surprised to witness such informal transfer of technology from Russia to a small town in Bihar. Even sleuths of Delhi Police's special cell were taken back when their operation to bust a gunrunning racket in northeast Delhi led them to recover an AK-47 made in Munger.
Though police first thought an international arms dealer was involved, a brief interrogation of the three suspects arrested along... (GunPolicy.org)
Bhutan Police Announce Plans to Enforce Ban on Gun, Ammo Imports
2 June 2014
Kuensel Online
The import of guns and bullets into Bhutan has been banned from this month.
The Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) made this announcement in the media and on its website, earlier this month.
In its announcement, RBP referred to section 11 of the Fire Arms and Ammunition Act 1990, which bans the import of firearms and ammunition by the general public, for its recent decision.
However, section 11 does allow for the purchase and import of ammunition for "authorised... (GunPolicy.org)
Officials Recover Huge Cache of Guns, Explosives in Pakistan
19 May 2014
Xinhua
ISLAMABAD - Paramilitary troops recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition in Pakistan's southwest Chaman district on Monday morning, local media reported.
Quoting unnamed sources from Paramilitary troops Frontier Corps (FC), local Urdu TV channel Samaa said that the forces seized a truck carrying explosive materials on an intelligence tip off in Chaman area, a district in the country's southwest Balochistan province.
The explosives were being brought into the... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Illegal Homemade Guns in Indian State Marked as Made Overseas
3 May 2014
Times of India
Navi Mumbai - Most illegal country-made guns, which are seized by the police in Navi Mumbai, have markings such as 'Made in USA', 'Made in England' and 'Made in Austria'. However, Navi Mumbai crime branch officials said that despite tall claims, these guns are primarily manufactured in foundries in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, and later sold in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, and Haryana, among others, at cheap rates.
"We have so far seized 17 illegal country... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan Acts Against Continuing Availability of Illegal Weapons
15 April 2014
Central Asia Online
ISLAMABAD – Gul Sher, 31, is busy cleaning his unlicenced AK-47 rifle. He is at his home in the outskirts of Mianwali, Punjab Province.
"Keeping rifles or other small weapons is part of our culture here," Gul said. "Our elders say, 'Weapons are men's jewellry'. Without them we feel alone and insecure."
Keeping unlicenced weapons is illegal, but Gul isn't alone. Many in his small town do so as well.
Illegal trade, but law goes unenforced
Keeping prohibited or... (GunPolicy.org)
Smuggling of Firearms Up in Nepal
12 April 2014
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - Smuggling and illegal trade of small arms continues unabated in the Kathmandu Valley despite the law enforcement agency's efforts to curb crimes.
The rise in smuggling of small arms into the valley has resulted in surge of crimes like murder‚ extortion, death threats, abduction and robbery. A team from the Armed Police Force arrested three suspects, including two women, with a USA made automatic pistol, nine bullets and two magazines from Boudhha-based... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghost Boat Smuggles Weapons into India from Pakistan
8 April 2014
Daily Mail (UK)
A large consignment of weapons has reportedly been smuggled into India from Bangladesh after being shipped from Pakistan, backing the Home Ministry's apprehensions that sea routes could be used for arms trafficking ahead of the polls.
Indian intelligence agencies tracked a boat named Padma that was docked at Kutubdia port in Bangladesh about two weeks ago.
The vessel was used to transport the consignment of weapons, which was offloaded at the port before being... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Battle Illegal Arms Ahead of India Elections
2 April 2014
Channel NewsAsia (Singapore)
NEW DELHI - While gun laws in India are strict, local police are battling a growing problem of illegal firearms.
It is a major concern in the lead-up to the general elections, along with illicit liquor.
Firearms made in the countryside are bought in bulk by local political workers.
Ahead of the general elections which are due in a fortnight, the guns are used for protection in clashes, or to intimidate rural voters.
The police and the Election Commission maintain a... (GunPolicy.org)
Personalised Guns May Prevent Unintentional Shootings, Homicides in Pakistan
25 March 2014
Dawn
The school boy from Karachi knew he wasn't supposed to, but he got hold of it anyway.
It was his father's handgun, and he was showing it to a classmate who was visiting him at home. What happened next was tragic. The gun went off accidently, shooting the visiting youngster in the head and killing him.
This was nearly twenty years ago, and gun fatalities at the hands of youngsters in Pakistan have only worsened. GunPolicy.org estimates that at least 18,000,000 guns are... (GunPolicy.org)
Editorial: Nepal's Laws on Arms Possession Must Be Made More Stringent
19 March 2014
Ekantipur (Nepal), Editorial
Two weeks ago, the police arrested billionaire Mahesh Bahadur Singh on charges of extortion, abduction and loansharking. Upon searching Singh's home in Bhanimandal, Lalitpur, police discovered four .22 long rifles, two 12-bore shotguns and one air gun along with 97 rounds of .22 cartridge, 29 12-bore cartridges and four magazines. According to SSP Ramesh Kharel, police chief of Kathmandu, Singh would reportedly display his guns to the people who owed him money and ask... (GunPolicy.org)
100,000 Guns Held, Some Seized, Licences Cancelled in Madhya Pradesh
15 March 2014
Web India 123
Ever since the promulgation of the Model Code of Conduct on March 5 in view of coming Lok Sabha polls, 1,03,610 licensed weapons have been deposited while 828 licensed weapons have been seized and 216 arms licenses cancelled.
The measures are a part of large-scale security arrangements being undertaken to ensure free and fair Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh, an official release said yesterday.
Besides, 7,366 non-bailable warrants have been issued including 1,104... (GunPolicy.org)
755 Guns Handed to Authorities in India
14 March 2014
Times of India
CHANDIGARH - The armoury of police at police lines, Sector 26, has turned into a gallery of weapons surrendered by city residents despite the passage of the last date for depositing them on Wednesday.
As many as 755 firearms of different brands, mostly foreign-made, were surrendered in the armoury since March 8. Nonetheless, the officials are accepting more weapons. The majority of surrendered weapons belong to Smith and Wesson, Winchester, Ruger, Heckler & Koch, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Officials Cracking Down on Illegal Homemade Gun Factories
13 March 2014
Times of India
RAJKOT - Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajkot police cracked down on an illegal weapon manufacturing unit in Sardhar village near Jasdan and arrested five persons besides recovering 10 country made firearms and six cartridges.
Police commissioner Mohan Jha said, "The general elections are approaching and we are taking preventive measures while keeping a watch on illegal activities. We have arrested Manhar alias Munno Jadeja, Sindha... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Homemade Guns Easily Available in Indian Region
9 March 2014
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
In Mamata Banerjee's Bengal, at least one business is flourishing – manufacturing and sales of guns and bombs.
The TMC chief, who famously drove Tata Nano out of Bengal, is finding very tough to rein in the illegal arms manufacturers, who are out to make a fast buck in the election season.
"We are keeping round-the-clock vigil and are conducting frequent raids," Howrah police commissioner Ajey Ranade told HT.
Ranade would know as he supervised a joint operation... (GunPolicy.org)
Six Indians Arrested in Nepal for Alleged Arms Smuggling
27 February 2014
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - Six Indian nationals have been arrested at Biratnagar in eastern Nepal and arms and ammunition seized from them, Nepal Police said Thursday.
Muralidhar Das, Bikas Kumar Paswan, Nitesh Kumar Yadav, Pramod Kumar Tanti, Phantus Tanti and Subodh Paswan of Bhagalpur district in India's Bihar state, who entered Nepal in a Tata Indica car, were arrested Wednesday evening.
Morang district's Superintendent of Police Bishworaj Pokharel said five 7.65 mm and 9 mm... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Army Soldier Kills 5 Colleagues, Himself
27 February 2014
CNN
SRINAGAR, India - A soldier at an army camp in Indian-administered Kashmir killed five of his colleagues Thursday before turning his gun on himself, the military said.
The soldier opened fire with an automatic rifle in the barracks of the camp in the town of Safapora, roughly 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of the capital, Srinagar, said military spokesman Lt. Col. N.N. Joshi.
An investigation into the shooting has been ordered, Joshi said.
Kashmir is a mountainous... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,European Union,Albania,Macedonia,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Iraq,North Africa,Afghanistan,Serbia,Croatia
Chasing Exports, Balkan Countries Foster Gun, Ammunition Industries
24 February 2014
Southeast European Times
Balkan countries are taking measures to support domestic military firms in an effort to improve their economies and develop closer relations with NATO, experts said.
Governments pay more attention to the military industry's economic potential, said Blagoja Markovski, president of the Balkan Security Forum in Skopje.
"It offers extraordinary opportunities to create jobs and help the development of the economy. Individual countries' earnings range from tens of millions... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan,South Asia,Afghanistan,United States,Russia
Disturbing Firearms Proliferation in Pakistan
24 February 2014
Daily Times (Lahore)
The proliferation of small arms and light weapons is one of the major security challenges currently faced by South Asia and Pakistan in particular. The trafficking and varied availability of these weapons fuel communal conflict, political instability and pose a threat, not only to security, but also to viable development. According to the Red Cross, one out of every two casualties in a war is a civilian stuck in the crossfire. The easy use and light weight of small... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Officer Checking Gun Accidentally Shoots, Kills Colleague in India
20 February 2014
Times of India
NAGPUR - A head constable in his forties was declared dead at a private hospital on Wednesday after sustaining a bullet injury in the stomach at Ajni headquarters of Government Railway Police. Another constable, who was injured in the incident, has been booked for causing death due to negligence.
The incident took place as constable Eknath Lahutkar tested the firearm without taking due precaution when head constable Rajesh Bagdikar was returning a pistol to the unit... (GunPolicy.org)
Hundreds of Thousands of Private Guns Licensed in India
7 February 2014
Indian Express
Governments across the country have issued 19.80 lakh private gun licences in 324 districts, or in just under half the country's 671 districts.
States that have suffered terrorism and those with poor social indicators top the list. Uttar Pradesh, which has 16.50 per cent of the country's population, has issued 11.23 lakh private licences, according to a government affidavit filed in the Allahabad High Court last year. The district-wise data were received over four... (GunPolicy.org)
Kalashnikov Eyes Indian Partners for Firearms Production
6 February 2014
RIA Novosti (Russia)
NEW DELHI – Russia's Kalashnikov Concern is in talks with several Indian companies on setting up joint ventures to produce small arms and high-precision weaponry, a company official said Thursday.
"India for us is a market with high potential…and we are marketing here all weapons on our production list, including assault rifles, sniper rifles and high-precision weapons," Andrei Baryshnikov, Kalashnikov exports director, said at the DEFEXPO INDIA-2014 exhibition in... (GunPolicy.org)
China,Bangladesh,South Asia,India,Nepal,Myanmar,Thailand
Smuggling of China-Made Weapons Highlights Bangladesh as Transit Point
4 February 2014
al Jazeera
A recent court verdict in Bangladesh in a case almost 10 years old has brought into focus the continuing scourge of weapons-smuggling from China into South Asia.
A judge in the Bangladesh port city of Chittagong last week sentenced 14 men to death for their role in what was an aborted bid to smuggle in 1,500 boxes of weapons that needed ten trucks to carry.
Among those sentenced were a prominent Bangladesh opposition leader, Motiur Rahman Nizami, several top... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Maker 'Fighting for Survival': Money, Corruption [DE]
3 February 2014
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary: Swiss gun maker SAN Swiss Arms, supplier of the standard Swiss military assault rifle, faces money woes, staff layoffs and allegations of corruption. SAN's German parent company SIG-Sauer has been raided by police over unauthorised gun deliveries to Kazakhstan, possibly routed via the US to avoid sanctions.]
Die SAN Swiss Arms aus Neuhausen SH produziert als Nachfolgerin der SIG das Sturmgewehr 90 der Schweizer Armee und hat derzeit Probleme an... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian State Begins Digitization of Gun Licences, 'Smart Cards' for Owners
3 February 2014
Times of India
CHENNAI - Tamil Nadu has initiated digitization of records of arms licences under the National Database on Arms Licence (NDAL). Punjab is the only state to complete the project.
NDAL state coordinator V Suresh said the process began last week so that the state will be part of the web-based NDAL system designed to curb illegal arms. Under the system, arms licence holders will be given a smart card linked to a central database which is being compiled by the ministry of... (GunPolicy.org)
Bangladesh,India,Hong Kong,Singapore
14 Sentenced to Death in Bangladesh Arms Smuggling Case
30 January 2014
Washington Post
DHAKA, Bangladesh — The head of the main Bangladeshi Islamist opposition party was among 14 people sentenced to death on Thursday on charges of smuggling weapons to a rebel group in neighboring India.
Security officials had seized more than 4,000 firearms and 1 million bullets and other military equipment in April 2004 when they were being unloaded from fishing boats. According to case documents, the weapons and ammunition were destined for a former Indian insurgency... (GunPolicy.org)
Renewal of Gun Licences From Other States Up in One Indian District
24 January 2014
Times of India
KOCHI - With district authorities taking stringent action against those who use guns with licences issued from other states, the number of applications for re-registration has gone up.
Unlike 2013, when authorities received just one application for renewal of licence issued from other states, this year, authorities have received nine applications in the month of January alone.
Though all these applications have been sent for police verification, chances of them... (GunPolicy.org)
New Gun for Indian Women Criticised as Increasing Risk, Unaffordable
17 January 2014
BBC News
India has launched a new handgun for women, named after a student who was gang-raped in Delhi in December 2012 and later died of her injuries. Officials say it will help women defend themselves, but critics say it's an insult to the victim's memory.
In his large office on Kanpur's Kalpi Road, Abdul Hameed, the general manager of the state-run Indian Ordnance Factory, shows me Nirbheek, the factory's tiniest gun.
"It's small, it's lightweight, it weighs only 500g... (GunPolicy.org)
India's New Gun for Women Slammed as 'Abhorrent'
14 January 2014
CNN
NEW DELHI, India - A light-weight gun named after an Indian gang rape victim has triggered a wave of criticism from advocates who call it "abhorrent."
Last week, an Indian state-run gunmaker introduced the .32-calibre revolver, made of titanium alloy, calling it a "valuable contribution to women's security."
The 500-gram firearm is called Nirbheek, meaning fearless in Hindi. The name was "inspired by Nirbhaya," said Abdul Hamied, the general manager of the Indian... (GunPolicy.org)
India Makes First Gun Designed for Women
12 January 2014
Fox News (USA)
An Indian gun manufacturer has made its first gun intended to help women defend themselves against rape.
According to The Times of India, the Indian Ordnance Factory (IOF) has manufactured Nirbheek, a .32 bore lightweight revolver. The gun is India's first firearm designed for women.
It is the factory's first handgun made of titanium alloy and weighs 500 grams.
The gun was released on Jan. 6, and is named in tribute to Nirbhaya, the pseudonym of the 23-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Maker Turns Down $15m Deal With Pakistan
5 January 2014
Associated Press / The Big Story
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A Utah-based gun manufacturer has turned down a $15 million deal to supply Pakistan with precision rifles, citing concerns they could eventually be used against U.S. troops.
Mike Davis, sales manager at Desert Tech, said the company was on a short list for a contract with Pakistan, but spurned the opportunity because of unrest in Pakistan and ethical concerns.
It was a difficult decision because of the amount of money involved, he said, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Forest Officials Get 250 Guns After Recent Killings
23 December 2013
Deccan Chronicle (India)
VISAKHAPATNAM - Terming the killing of two forest officials by red-sanders smugglers in Seshachalam forests as a brutal incident, minister for environment and forests Satrucherla Vijayarama Raju, on Sunday, said the state government has decided to provide 250 12-bore double barrel guns (fire weapons) to officials in seven forest divisions - Chittoor East, Chittoor West, Tirupati, Nellore, Nandyal, Rajampet and Proddatur in the state to deal the red-sanders smuggling.... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,Libya,India,Georgia,Egypt,Yemen,Vietnam,Turkey,Syria,Germany,Bahamas
Questions Asked Over Germany's Arms Exports
16 December 2013
Deutsche Welle
For a long time, arms exports to regions in conflict were taboo for the German government. However, the growing number of arms deals with Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia or Qatar, or with Asian countries like India and Indonesia suggests that these could soon become a pillar of German foreign and security policy.
This, at least, is the warning expressed in this year's weapons exports report published in Berlin on Monday (16.12.2013) by the Joint Church and... (GunPolicy.org)
Netherlands,Spain,United Kingdom,Italy,United States,Belgium,Iraq,Algeria,Bahrain,Egypt,Mexico,Pakistan,Canada
Canada Increases Gun Exports to Countries with 'Dubious' Human Rights
8 December 2013
Toronto Star (Ontario) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Bahrain, Algeria and Iraq, countries with dubious human rights records or a history of violent internal conflict, have recently become new buyers of Canadian-made guns and ammunition, an analysis of federal data shows.
The analysis by The Canadian Press found that Canadian exports to those countries swelled by 100 per cent from 2011 to 2012, the most recent figures publicly available.
During the same time period, exports of Canadian weapons also increased... (GunPolicy.org)
Controversy Over Indian State's Ethnic Gun Licence Rules
3 December 2013
Hindu (Chennai)
The clarification sought by the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner from the State government on granting exemption certificates (ECs) to the 'Coorg by race' (Kodava) people and 'Jamma' (land tenure) holders to keep weapons without licence, a privilege existing since the days of the British, has caused anxiety among the people here.
In his letter on September 20, Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari asked the Home Department whether the Jamma holders should necessarily be Kodavas... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,Syria,Israel,India,Ireland,Togo,Canada,United States,Afghanistan,Côte d'Ivoire,Iran,Sri Lanka,Germany,Russia
Growing Number of Personalised Firearms to Boost Safety Available
30 November 2013
Economist
To help push Soviet forces out of Afghanistan in the 1980s, America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gave Afghan fighters shoulder-launched Stinger anti-aircraft missiles (pictured). Accurate and easy-to-use, the Stingers caused grievous losses. But after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, the CIA wanted to discourage the use of the leftover missiles. It got hold of some of those circulating on the black market and booby-trapped them, so that anyone who tried to fire one... (GunPolicy.org)
16-Year-Old Boy Accidentally Shoots Himself in India
27 November 2013
Indian Express
A 16-year-old boy died after he accidentally pulled the trigger of a pistol while showing it off to his siblings, police said. The incident was reported from East Delhi's Madhu Vihar area on Monday night.
According to police, the boy had found the 'made in Italy' weapon and was teaching his siblings how to operate it when he accidentally pulled the trigger. He suffered a bullet injury in the neck. Neighbours who heard the gunshot rushed him to the Metro hospital in... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Prime Minister Challenged to Justify Firearms Sales to Sri Lanka
22 November 2013
Guardian (UK)
David Cameron must explain why the government has allowed machine guns and assault rifles to be exported to Sri Lanka despite his recent highlighting of the country's human rights abuses, the head of the Commons weapons watchdog has said.
Sir John Stanley, chairman of the arms export control committee, said the government has a "questionable" approach on arms exports to Sri Lanka.
The senior Conservative MP said it was "not credible" for ministers to claim the £8m of... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Held for 'Smuggling' Homemade Firearms into Indian City
14 November 2013
Indian Express
Two men were arrested in Grant road Wednesday evening by Mumbai Police Crime branch for allegedly smuggling unlicenced firearms into the city, police said.
Police said both the suspects are natives of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh and were nabbed outside Grant Hotel based on a tip-off. While one of the suspects, Aarif Mohammad (33), works in the leather industry, the other — Iqbal Ahmad (21) is a cobbler, police said. A country-made pistol worth Rs 30,000 and two live rounds... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Men Arrested in India with Illegal Homemade Handguns
13 November 2013
Times of India
NEW DELHI - Just 20 days to go for the assembly elections to take place, and the city is overflowing with illegal weaponry. The crime branch has nabbed two men with 19 sophisticated pistols and two dozen cartridges. The men worked for notorious arms manufacturer Gurbakht Singh alias Fauji who manufactured the guns in the remote jungles of Madhya Pradesh where there are no police stations or patrols for miles together.
The gang used tribal men as carriers and is a... (GunPolicy.org)
Sri Lanka Looking to Regulate Trade in Small Arms
12 November 2013
Nation (Sri Lanka)
The Sri Lankan Government would work diligently to phase out the use of small arms within its borders as the country very well understood the destruction that could be wrought by such weapons when they fall into the wrong hands, Leader of the House and Chairman of the Sri Lankan Chapter of Parliamentarians for Global Action, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva said.
Addressing a fringe session on the sidelines of the Commonwealth People's Forum 2013, held at the Chaaya... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian MPs Buy Guns from Govt, Including Some Accused of Crimes
28 October 2013
Times of India
JAIPUR - The .32 bore revolver seems to be the favourite among MPs from Rajasthan. Out of the six MPs who have purchased a gun from the government between 2001 and 2012, at least three MPs have bought a .32 bore revolver while two procured a .32 bore pistol and yet one more a .99 pistol.
The disclosure were made in reply to an application filed under RTI Act by activist Ambarish Pandey. The data from the government was then analyzed by Association for Democratic... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Man Killed After Gun Goes Off Accidentally
23 October 2013
Times of India
PUNE - A 65-year-old man was killed after his licensed 12-bore gun went off accidentally while he was cleaning it at his residence in Bhusari Colony in Kothrud on Tuesday morning.
The deceased has been identified as Rajeev Potnis (65), a resident of Silver Residence, right Bhusari Colony, Paud Road. The Kothrud police have registered a case of accidental death.
Kalyanrao Vidhate, senior inspector of the Kothrud police station, told TOI that the incident took place... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Guns a Threat in Nepalese Election
19 October 2013
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
BIRGUNJ - Security agencies had months ago said small arms in the Tarai region could pose a serious threat during the elections. And now reports that candidates from different political parties and criminal groups are importing small arms from across the border have but alerted the security bodies.
Sources said that security forces' focus on safety of the general public and overcrowded border points have made it easier for those who are sneaking such illegal weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan's Darra Adam Khel, the Gun Making Capital of the World
18 October 2013
Daily Bhaskar (India)
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, Pakistan - Darra Adam Khel is a town in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, located between Peshawar and Kohat, very close to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It is inhabited by Pashtuns of the Afridi clan, the Adam Khel. The town consists of one main street lined with shops, with some alleys and side streets containing workshops. Darra Adam Khel is devoted entirely to the production of ordnance.
Located in between Kohat and... (GunPolicy.org)
Italy,Sierra Leone,United States,India
US Security Firm's Arms Shipment Detained in India Over Lack of Papers
13 October 2013
Guardian (UK) / Reuters
India has detained an armed ship operated by a US maritime security company, including the 35 people on board, for failing to produce papers authorizing it to carry weapons and ammunition in Indian waters, the coast guard said on Sunday.
Coast Guard Commandant Anand Kumar said the ship was stopped on Friday and was being held in the southern port of Tuticorin along with its 10 crew and 25 armed guards, until required documentation is submitted.
The crew and security... (GunPolicy.org)
Opinion: What Happened to Gun Control in Pakistan?
11 October 2013
Express Tribune (Pakistan), Blog
Earlier this week in Lahore, a 10-year-old boy shot his mother with a 12 bore gun. This boy wasn't waging a jihad against drone strikes or attempting to rise against the status quo. He shot his mother because the reason was simple: our gun control laws are weak.
Access to guns is easy.
In Pakistan, out of every 100 people, 11 people have guns. In a country where rule of law is supposed to be a part of the constitution, bearing guns is what has resulted in tribal... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan Officials Hold Amnesty Ahead of New Gun Licensing Programme
7 October 2013
Central Asia Online
KARACHI – The Sindh provincial government is pressing on with a campaign to clear Karachi of illegal weapons and ban new firearm licences, even though few owners so far have surrendered their guns or ammunition voluntarily, officials say.
The so-called "Weapon-Free Karachi" campaign started September 27 and will go through October 12. It kicked off when the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered Sindh Province to rid Karachi of illicit arms and ammunition and to take... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities Bust Operation in India Using Fake Gun Licences to Get Guns
30 September 2013
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
In a major breakthrough, Lucknow police on Sunday recovered a dozen firearms and cartridges purchased on fake licences after the arrest of two key members of an illegal arms racket operational in several states of the country.
One of the members is a terminated constable of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The duo was arrested in Vibhuti Khand where they had come for a firearms deal.
The recovered firearms included seven 12-bore double barrel guns, four... (GunPolicy.org)
Porous India-Bangladesh Border Gives Easy Access to Guns
21 September 2013
Dhaka Tribune
Smuggling of small firearms into Bangladesh, especially pistol and revolver, through three bordering districts has become rampant as the gunrunners have found the routes safe for their illicit trade.
The three districts are Chapainwababganj, Satkhira and Jessore.
Sources at the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police told UNB small firearms, especially pistol and revolver, which are very easy to carry, are being smuggled into the country as professional... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian State's Gun Culture, Homicide Rate Worsens After New Govt
15 September 2013
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
Uttar Pradesh accounts for about 50 per cent of the country's firearms-related deaths, a grim revelation at a time when rioters were seen freely using guns during the recent communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar district.
The UP administration rushed to cancel gun licences in three police stations of riot-hit district, but the 1,177 licences withdrawn is a drop in an ocean in a state swarming with licenced and unlicenced weapons.
National Crime Record Bureau data reveals... (GunPolicy.org)
Officials Warn Afghans Not to Celebrate Football Win with Gunfire
12 September 2013
Reuters
President Hamid Karzai embraced Afghanistan's victorious football team on Thursday, hours after they united the nation in a rare moment of shared joy, but officials also told jubilant Afghans to stop firing guns into the air in celebration.
The national men's team beat India 2-0 to win the South Asian Football Federation championship in Kathmandu late on Tuesday, Afghanistan's first international football title, sending tens of thousands of joyous Afghans into the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Culture, Legal Guns Helped Fan Violent Riots in India
10 September 2013
Times of India
NEW DEHLI - One factor that led to the Muzaffarnagar riots going out of hand is the region's gun culture and weapons, mostly legal, owned by residents.
Preliminary investigations have found that during the riots shots were fired from licenced weapons which number over 15,000 in the riot-hit region. Sources in riot control operations said some of those who died were shot by .12 bore licenced rifles.
"Further investigations will be carried out to nail people behind... (GunPolicy.org)
Cops Bust Home Made Gun Factory in India, Seize Guns, Ammo and Parts
4 September 2013
Times of India
BIHARSHARIF - Special task force (STF), Patna and Nalanda police in a joint operation unearthed a mini-gun factory at Kohna Sarai locality of Biharsharif under Laheri police station area on Tuesday and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition and equipment used in making illegal firearms. Two persons have been arrested in this connection.
Laheri SHO Uday Shankar said the district police in a joint raid with Patna STF unearthed the gun factory at Kohna sarai locality... (GunPolicy.org)
India,Myanmar,North Korea,Bangladesh,Nepal,China,Thailand
Arrest May Prove 'China Link' in Supply of Arms to India Insurgents
3 September 2013
Nagaland Post (India)
NEW DELHI - In a significant breakthrough that could provide the first evidence of alleged Chinese involvement in supply of arms to Indian insurgent outfits, Thailand on Saturday picked up a key middleman whose identity had been disclosed by arrested NSCN (I-M) operative Anthony Shimray.
Indian Express report stated that Willy Naruenartwanicha, referred to as Willy Narue by Shimray, is a Thai national and was picked up at India's request. According to Shimray, Willy... (GunPolicy.org)
Bangladesh Civilian Gun Imports Dodging Taxes
26 August 2013
New Nation (Dhaka)
Some individuals are importing light guns, particularly pistol, revolver, shotgun and rifle, in the country in under invoiced price depriving the government a huge amount of revenues taking the advantage of relaxed mood of the National Board of Revenue [NBR], sources said.
The non-prohibited bore of arms mainly permitted for the civilians - point 22, point 25, point 357 and point 32 caliber - are being imported from Singapore under the baggage rule. As per the rule,... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Govt Collects Over 6,700 Illegal Arms
22 August 2013
Global Times (China)
The government of Nepal has collected over 6,700 illegal arms used by the citizens as well as criminals after issuing public notices to surrender the weapons, Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed on August 22.
"As of Thursday, the number of arms brought under the government's control has reached 6,745 units," Uddab Bhattarai, a Ministry spokesperson, told Xinhua.
The arms include rifle, homemade gun, pistol and revolver, said Bhattarai, adding that they were... (GunPolicy.org)
India Shooter Angered Over Import Duty on Air Gun
6 August 2013
Indian Express
A Haryana resident, who is also a member of Maharashtra Rifle Association, sent a legal notice to the Customs last month, a year after he was forced at the Mumbai airport to pay import duty on a .177-calibre air rifle, an item that was made duty-free by a Customs' notification in 2005.
Amitoj Singh has argued that though air guns and pistols do not come under the purview of the Arms Act and are exempted from import duty, he was made to pay Rs 30,000 (35% of its price)... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Officials Identify Unlicensed Gun Owners in Campaign
29 July 2013
Times of India
KOCHI - The district administration has identified over 100 persons in the district who own guns without licences. As most of them have neither renewed their licence nor surrendered their guns for the past three years, the district administration has decided to take immediate action and resolve this issue.
First, a list of those who are yet to renew their applications will be prepared and sent to taluk offices concerned. According to rules, gun licences should be... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Guns Seized After India Shooting, Police Suspect Smuggling Link
25 July 2013
Times of India
BHUBANESWAR - Police on Wednesday cracked the firing on city-based businessman Harish Prasad Rath by arresting two men. Police said the motive of the attack that took place on July 20 was robbery.
Two country-made pistols, one 9 mm pistol and three rounds of ammunition were seized from the accused Prabhat Kumar Paikaray (40), alias Tukuna Dash and Tripati Gouda (28), alias Chotu.
"Paikaray was the mastermind. He worked at a grocery shop in front of Rath's office.... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Gunsmiths Use Govt Loans for Tools, Floating Gun Factory Found
23 July 2013
India Today
If there was a prize for criminality with chutzpah, the gunmakers of Bihar's Munger district would win it hands down. Or hands up. A Central government employment scheme has been funding several talented gunsmiths in this district for years. Munger is the traditional hub of a flourishing indigenous gun-making industry, till recently geared to making crude single-shot kattas and now moving on to West-inspired pistols and rifles. It's all illegal, of course.
According to... (GunPolicy.org)
In Two Months, One Pakistani Provincial Police Force Seized 8,557 Guns
20 July 2013
International News (Karachi)
PESHAWAR - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police arrested 7,858 accused and seized huge quantity of ammunition and explosives during the last two months.
A communiqué issued from the Central Police Office said two miscreants were shot dead, six kidnapped persons were recovered and 10 kidnappers were apprehended during the period. The police also recovered three vehicles and three motorcycles between April 20 and July 18, the official statement said.
The police also... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Smuggling from Myanmar to India, Bangladesh Worries Authorities
13 July 2013
Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI - Smuggling of sophisticated weapons from Myanmar to India has become a matter of serious concern and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating one such case of arms smuggling with an effort to go to the root of the problem.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that recently personnel of the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police arrested four Bangladeshi nationals with sophisticated weapons, which proved the smuggling of weapons from... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Arrested for Involvement in International Gun Smuggling to India
8 July 2013
Times of India
LUCKNOW - The Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the UP Police on Sunday arrested Ramzan Ali of Machhriya locality under Naubasta police station of Kanpur in connection with an international racket involving smuggling parts of top branded firearms from Hong Kong region into India and then assembling them together here to sell weapons to the underworld at a premium.
His name figured in the case after the arrest of retired airlines officer Deesa from Mumbai who has so far... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Firearms Flood Bangladesh Amid Alleged Corruption
29 June 2013
Dhaka Tribune
In the wake of the ongoing city corporation polls around the country and the national elections due in a few months' time, illegal firearms have flooded every corner of the country.
Thanks to loose enforcement of law, these firearms, mostly smuggled across the border, are used unabated for political clashes, tender manipulation, extortion and street mugging.
Sources in law enforcement agencies have said political leaders, eyeing to flex muscles for political showdowns... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Police Seize Licensed and Illegal Guns Ahead of Election
20 June 2013
Deccan Chronicle (India)
Anantapur - Police have been concentrating on seizing licensed weapons from leaders of all political parties in the wake of the upcoming local body elections, in the wake of several incidents of misuse of licensed weapons in faction feuds.
Recently, a YSR Congress party leader was attacked by his rivals of the same party in Pulivendula Assembly constituency and two assailants were gunned down in retaliation last month. Police found that the assailants had used a... (GunPolicy.org)
11 People Shot at Pakistani University After Bombing
17 June 2013
BBC News
The women's university at the centre of Saturday's deadly twin attacks in the Pakistani city of Quetta has been shut down until further notice.
In the first incident a bomb on a university bus killed 14 women. Gunmen then killed 11 when they laid siege to the hospital treating the wounded.
Sardar Bahadur Khan University is the only all-female university in troubled Balochistan province.
The move is seen as a safety precaution in a city which has seen many... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities Arrest Seven for Smuggling Guns Between India, Bangladesh
9 June 2013
Dhaka Tribune
Huge firearms are being smuggled from India into Bangladesh through different frontier points of Benapole, with gunrunners' syndicates active on both sides to negotiate any deal instantly.
These illegally brought weapons after reaching Benapole through different border points are supplied to different parts of the country, including Dhaka, says a UNB report from Benapole in Jessore.
Although members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and law enforcers sometimes... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Security Guards Arrested Over Fake Gun Licences, Law Breaches
7 June 2013
DNA India
Rajkot police have arrested six security guards working in three different private security agencies for possessing firearms using fake licences on Thursday. Police have also seized 14 rifles and 48 live cartridges from them. After getting specific information, Special Operations Group (SOG) of the city raided the premises of three private security agencies in Rajkot and have ordered all other private security agencies to submit the details to the police.
"Preliminary... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Homemade Pistols a Headache for India's Police
2 June 2013
Hindu (Chennai)
Illegal weapons manufactured in Munger in Bihar have found their way to various terror groups and criminal gangs in several parts of the country as well as to Bangladesh, officials have said.
Easy accessibility and low cost are the unique selling points of Munger's 9mm pistols where the buyers even get a heavy discount on bulk orders. This has led to the availability of the weapons in various parts of the country especially Maharashtra, Delhi and Madhya... (GunPolicy.org)
Seven Guns Seized in Bangladesh Police Raids
25 May 2013
Financial Express (Bangladesh)
Nine persons were arrested with seven firearms, two magazines, 26 bullets and 200 Yaba tablets from the city's Mirpur, Muhammadpur and Savar areas, reports BSS.
Detective Branch (DB) of Police, in separate overnight raids, arrested seven persons with six firearms, two magazines, 26 bullets and 200 Yaba tablets from city's Mirpur and Muhammadpur areas.
"Acting on a tip-off, the DB police arrested five illegal arm traders and two drug peddlers, who used to do businesses... (GunPolicy.org)
Bangladeshi Election Talk Results in Huge Influx of Smuggled Guns
24 May 2013
Daily Prime News (Dhaka)
Dhaka - The underworld of capital Dhaka is turning vibrant following election talk over the bifurcated Dhaka City Corporations – North and South.
So to make hay ahead of the crucial capital city polls, arms smuggling gangs and arms dealers are bringing in illegal small arms, most popular small ones, from across the border keeping an eye on the electioneering when small arms are on huge demands among cadres of most political wings and criminals-turned political... (GunPolicy.org)
Six Dead and 10 Injured After Day of Gun Violence in Pakistan
21 May 2013
Pakistan Today
KARACHI - At least six persons were killed and several others injured in fresh incidents of target killing in different areas of the metropolis on Monday, while the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) personnel arrested more than 10 accused, including four members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), during targeted operations and recovered arms and explosives from their possession.
According to police, unknown assailants gunned down a man identified as 42-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
India Police Seize 294 Illegal Guns in a Year
20 May 2013
Times of India
The police nabbed 271 men and seized from them 294 illegal firearms and 1,682 live cartridges from January 2012 to January 2013, an RTI reply shows. The arrested men were couriers who came to Mumbai to deliver weapons to gangsters.
The weapons ranged from sophisticated pistols to country-made revolvers, shows the reply to the RTI plea, which was filed by activist Chetan Kothari. The seizures show that gangland demand for firearms of Indian make has increased. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Arms Flowing into Bangladesh at 'Alarming' Rate
15 May 2013
Dhaka Tribune
The illegal arms trade has gone up alarmingly recently in the wake of ongoing pre-election political turmoil and triggered by high demands from local criminals and terrorists, intelligence departments of law enforcement agencies have reported.
Intelligence sources said arms are being smuggled into the country through at least 20 different points along the border, mostly from India.
According to sources, syndicates smuggle arms across the border taking advantage of... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Indian Gun Owner Shoots Son in Dispute
7 May 2013
Times of India
LUCKNOW - A man shot at his son in Alambagh area on Monday morning, reportedly after a heated argument. The injured youth was rushed to the Trauma Centre by family members for treatment and was under observation till late Monday night.
Surjeet Singh, an ex-defence personnel, was arrested by police and the licensed revolver with which he shot his 36-year-old son Jaspal recovered from his possession, said Shreekant Prasad, the sub-inspector who made the... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal District Police Collect Over 200 Illegal Weapons in Amnesty
7 May 2013
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
ROLPA - District Police Office DPO, Rolpa has collected 227 illegal weapons so far from the district following the government's call to people owning illegal firearms to surrender them to police in exchange for a pardon.
According to DSP Saroj Paudel of DPO, the fire arms were collected from different parts of the district.
Of the collected guns, as many as 225 were loaded guns and two were handmade pistols.
Police thanked all the locals who had voluntarily submitted... (GunPolicy.org)
13 People Shot Dead Each Day in India says NGO
6 May 2013
Post Noon (Hyderabad)
Hardly any noise is made in India about increasing use of firearms among civilians and related violence. We tend to think that it is an issue that needs to be tackled in places like the United States, perhaps because of recurring incidents of mass murders. But not here, in the land of the non-violent freedom movement, we say. However, with a staggering 40 million civilians owning guns, second only to the United States, discourses, questions and debates on the topic... (GunPolicy.org)
80-Yr-Old Indian Engineer Arrested for Supplying Arms Parts to Gang
1 May 2013
DNA India (Mumbai)
An 80-year-old man from Dadar was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly supplying spare parts of imported weapons, arms and ammunition to a Uttar Pradesh-based gang. A joint team of the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad and Mumbai police also recovered spare parts of imported weapons and ammunition from his flat.
Senior inspector of Dadar police station Prakash Patil said that D'Souza was arrested from his fifth floor flat at Salvation Apartments in Agar Bazaar area.... (GunPolicy.org)
India's Anti-Terrorist Squad Busts Gun Smuggling Gang
19 April 2013
Pioneer (India)
LUCKNOW - Sleuths of the Anti-Terrorists Squad (ATS) arrested four persons and claimed to have busted a gang which is smuggling parts of arms from overseas and assembling them here to dispose it off later to hardened criminals at higher rates. They said to have recovered arms in large quantity besides equipments and tools used for assembling.
Giving the details of the above development here on Thursday afternoon, ADG (law and order) Arun Kumar, said that the ATS is... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Extends Illegal Arms Amnesty Programme
18 April 2013
Khabar South Asia
As Nepal gears up for fresh Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, the government has extended a campaign to recover illegal weapons that proliferated in the country during its decade-long insurgency.
In late February, the cabinet announced a one-month amnesty in which those possessing illegal small arms could surrender them to police or district officials without legal repercussions. Normally, the penalty for possession of illegal weapons is a five-year prison term and... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Police Concerned Over Rise in Illegal Guns, Crime in Valley
17 April 2013
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - Metropolitan Police Circle, Balaju, raided a rented house at Mitranagar, and rounded up four crime suspects with a cache of illegal weapons yesterday.
Acting on intelligence input, an MPC team backed by local armed police had cordoned off the house late at night before carrying out a thorough search in all rooms.
Officials informed that Yam Bahadur Thapa, 23, of Gorkha, his sister-in-law Alisha Gurung, 20, of Gorkha, Pankaj Malla, 19, of Banke and Rudra... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize Homemade Guns, Manufacturing Equipment in India
11 April 2013
Times of India
KANPUR - In a major haul, the city police with the arrest of two persons have recovered 15 country-made pistols and 12 semi-finished guns of separate bores, several live cartridges, 81 big and small barrels of 315 bore, several furnaces, welding machines and other equipment used in manufacturing firearms. The arrested men were running an organized racket of illegal arms sale.
The police said two persons were arrested near the Juhi 'dhaal' area of the city on Tuesday.... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa,Haiti,South Sudan,Sierra Leone,Liberia,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Oceania,Southern Africa,Central America,East Asia,Southern Europe,Western Europe,North Africa,East Africa,South Asia,South America
Some 437,000 People Murdered Worldwide in 2012 - UNODC Study
10 April 2013
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Media release
VIENNA - Almost half a million people (437,000) across the world lost their lives in 2012 as a result of intentional homicide, according to a new study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Launching the Global Study on Homicide 2013 in London today, Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Director for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs, said: "Too many lives are being tragically cut short, too many families and communities left shattered. There is an urgent need to... (GunPolicy.org)
India Police say Criminals Trying to Buy Guns from Students
8 April 2013
Times of India
CHENNAI - Police are worried over local criminals attempting to source guns from students from north India.
After several instances of students from Jharkhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh brandishing firearms and an engineering college student pistol-whipping a classmate and his friend in Maduravoyal on Thursday, police said they are keeping a close watch on students from outside Chennai.
Some students and former students from other cities have links with criminals in... (GunPolicy.org)
Jilted Lover Kills Indian Girl's Dad, Injures Mom
4 April 2013
Times of India
NAGPUR - A 49-year-old office superintendent with joint director of technical education was shot with a country made revolver and stabbed to death by his daughter's male friend at his residence in ShriHarinagar near Manewada Ring road on Wednesday. YogeshDakhode's wife Kusum was also assaulted a number of times. The perpetrator Anwar Khan, 28, who was once in a relationship with Dakhodes' daughter, wanted to kill the girl too but was overpowered by neighbours before... (GunPolicy.org)
China Says UN Arms Treaty Lacks Consensus
3 April 2013
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
There is no consensus on an international arms trade treaty, major weapons exporter China said on Wednesday, after it abstained as the UN General Assembly passed the measure by 154 votes to three.
The only votes against the first treaty on the conventional arms trade were from Syria, North Korea and Iran.
The 23 countries abstaining included Russia and China, ranked respectively as the number two and five weapons exporters by the Stockholm International Peace Research... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Arms Smuggling Continues to Thrive in Indian City
2 April 2013
Times of India
ALLAHABAD - The recent seizure of some sophisticated pistols from an arm smuggler by the Special Task Force here has again brought to fore the thriving smuggling of arms in the region. Most of these firearms are being smuggled from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal or manufactured in small illegal units running in the district.
The graph of arms seized in past three years also points towards this fact. From desi kattas (local arms) to sophisticated smuggled guns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Citizens Reluctant to Give Up Illegal, Unlicensed Guns in Amnesty
31 March 2013
República (Kathmandu)
RAUTAHAT - Even as the 35-days deadline given by District Police Office, Rautahat ended on Saturday, no one in the district handed over illegal arms in their possession to the police.
DPO, while issuing the deadline, had even told the locals that they would not face action if they submit illegal arms in their possession within the given deadline.
"We are aware that many locals possess illegal arms in the district but they are reluctant to hand them over to the... (GunPolicy.org)
India to Reject Arms Trade Treaty, Alleges Bias Against Arms Importers
28 March 2013
Times of India
NEW DELHI - New Delhi is set to reject a global arms trade treaty (ATT) since the agreement is heavily loaded against weapons-importing countries like India, and let exporting nations like the US and China call the shots. The treaty, meant to regulate all transfers of conventional arms around the world, is likely to be passed by the UN General Assembly next week. India's inability to establish an indigenous defence production industry may now become a strategic... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Indian Gun Owner Kills Wife, Neighbour and Self in Spree
27 March 2013
Times of India
KANPUR - An enraged man went on a shooting spree gunning down a teenage youth in the neighbourhood and critically injuring his wife, before killing himself on Tuesday. The gruesome incident took place at Muradpur Nagariya village under the limits of Bhogaon police station in Mainpuri district.
"32-year-old, Prem Narain apparently first opened fire from his licensed firearm at his wife, Radha (28), then his neighbour, Vishal (18) and later killed himself," said circle... (GunPolicy.org)
Shootings on the Rise in Pakistan's Business Hub
25 March 2013
BBC News
"Have you absolutely lost your mind?" That was my mother's predictable response.
"People are trying to get out of this god-forsaken city," she said, "and you are planning to come back!"
Her fears aren't entirely exaggerated. Facts speak for themselves: last year was the bloodiest year for Karachi in nearly two decades, with about 2,000 people killed in drive-by shootings, bombings, and revenge attacks.
That is based on reported figures. A lot of threats, extortion... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,United States,Russia,Italy,Germany,Brazil,Switzerland,Israel,Austria,South Korea,Belgium,Spain,Turkey,Norway,Canada,United Kingdom,Australia,France,Pakistan,Yemen,Honduras,El Salvador,Jamaica
Fact and Figures: Global Trade in Small Arms
18 March 2013
al Jazeera
Diplomats from around the world have gathered at the UN for talks on an international arms trade treaty, in an effort to stop the sale of illegal conventional arms.
Similar talks held last July failed, mainly due to the objections of the US and Russia, the world's two largest arms exporters.
Al Jazeera has compiled a list of facts related to the global production and trading of small arms.
1. Authorised international transfers of small arms, light weapons, their... (GunPolicy.org)
India,Egypt,Syria,Russia,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Urgent Call for Tighter Rules on International Arms Trade - Oxfam
12 March 2013
Oxfam International (Oxford), Media release
Draft Arms Trade Treaty text littered with loopholes which need fixing urgently to save lives
More than 325,000 people are estimated to have lost their lives through armed violence since negotiations for a treaty to regulate the global arms trade for the first time ground to a halt in July last year, say Oxfam and Saferworld, part of the Control Arms Coalition.
The Control Arms Coalition calls on world leaders to urgently adopt robust rules on international transfers... (GunPolicy.org)
Easily Available Home-made Handguns, 1st Choice of Criminals in Nepal
11 March 2013
Kantipur (Nepal)
PARSA - An 18-year-old boy brandished a pistol to threaten one of his friends over a minor dispute while playing snooker at Maisthan in Birgunj last Thursday.
Fortunately, the situation was brought under control as police reached the incident site immediately. The boy, however, managed to flee the scene upon seeing the police personnel.
On August 24, 2012, Rama Shankar Mandal, general secretary of the Madhesi Factory Workers' Forum, was shot dead by an unidentified... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Nepal
Nepal Decides to Endorse UN Small Arms Treaty
9 March 2013
Xinhua
KATHMANDU - With the objective of controlling the illegal trade of small arms like pistol, Nepal has decided to endorse the UN small arms convention which is being discussed among the UN members at present.
"Nepal supports the bid to regulate and control the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons," the Kathmandu Post quoted a government official, as saying, on Saturday.
"It is of prime importance that the small arms do not reach the non-state actors, who may... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Easily Available in Nepal, Especially Among Youth
6 March 2013
República (Kathmandu)
DHANGADHI - Authorities have expressed concerns over the spike in criminal activities resulting from the increased possession of small arms among youths in Kailali district. Easy availability of weapons across the border (in India) and the weapons left lying around from the insurgency period have been blamed for the problem.
"Nowadays the Dhangadhi town has been witnessing increasing number of criminal activities and small arms have been used in many of such... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Govt Asks Citizens to Submit Illegal Guns
2 March 2013
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - The Ministry of Home Affairs today appealed to all concerned to submit all types of weapons, both small and large, to the concerned District Administration Office, District Police Office or the nearest police unit by March 28, failing which legal action under the Arms and Ammunition Act-1963 would be initiated.
The move follows the growing possession and use of unlicenced weapons, small arms in particular, among the persons with criminal mindset to disturb... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Illegally Held Guns Leads to Month Amnesty in Nepal
2 March 2013
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - The Ministry of Home Affairs today appealed to all concerned to submit all types of weapons, both small and large, to the concerned District Administration Office, District Police Office or the nearest police unit by March 28, failing which legal action under the Arms and Ammunition Act-1963 would be initiated.
The move follows the growing possession and use of unlicenced weapons, small arms in particular, among the persons with criminal mindset to disturb... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan Passes New Gun Law But Critics Fear Poor Implementation
24 February 2013
International News (Karachi), Editorial
In an effort to limit arms proliferation the Sindh Assembly passed legislation on Thursday increasing the term of imprisonment for possession of an illegal weapon from three to 14 years. Pakistan is a country awash with guns, both legal and illegal, with the latter probably outnumbering the former. There are entire communities regarded as 'armed.' Politicians have been behind much of the perfectly legal proliferation of guns in our society as they have a 'quota' of... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Sells Arms to Sri Lanka's 'Brutal' Regime
18 February 2013
Belfast Telegraph
Britain is selling millions of pounds worth of arms and ammunition to Sri Lanka despite the country's dire human rights record.
Figures taken from the Government's own database show how the authorities in Colombo have gone on a buying spree of British small arms and weaponry worth at least £3m.
Some of the items sold to Sri Lanka include pistols, rifles, assault rifles, body armour and combat shotguns – despite the Foreign Office still classifying the South Asian... (GunPolicy.org)
India Police Arrest Alleged Gun Smugglers in Ongoing Crackdown
10 February 2013
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
NEW DELHI - Three gun runners, who were allegedly attempting to smuggle more than a dozen sophisticated firearms were caught 'red-handed' by the special cell, police said on Sunday. The firearms were to be sold to criminals operating in the NCR.
The trio was waylaid and nabbed from near the Anand Vihar-Ghazipur foot-over bridge around 5pm on Saturday, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell). Their identities have been withheld due to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Myanmar Police Seize Drugs, 96 Guns on Indian Border
4 February 2013
Irrawaddy (Burma)
Burmese police seized around US $140,000 worth of pseudo-ephedrine-based cold and flu tablets and a large cache of weapons in Tamu, Sagaing Division, on Sunday, according to local sources and state-media reports.
"A couple has been detained for questioning and anti-narcotics forces are preparing to charge them with illegal possession of weapons and drug trafficking," an officer from the Tamu Police Station told The Irrawaddy on Monday.
Initial reports suggested that... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia,Afghanistan,Israel,Belgium,United States
How Video Games Fund Arms Manufacturers and Sell Guns
31 January 2013
EuroGamer
The American confectionery company Victoria Sweets claims to have invented the candy cigarette. A thin stick of chocolate, wrapped in edible paper and designed to impersonate a roll-up, it debuted in 1915 and soon became the accessory of choice for children keen to play grown-up. Hollywood star, GI Joe, team captain: the sweet gave kids the chance try out one of the vogue props of adulthood.
Within 20 years it was so popular that cigarette companies began to take... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan's Gun Makers Protest Election Ban, Blame Illegal Guns
30 January 2013
Express Tribune (Pakistan) / International Herald Tribune
PESHAWAR - A nationwide ban on the issuance of new small arms licences has hit manufacturing units hard, Peshawar's gunsmiths told The Express Tribune on Tuesday.
While talking to The Express Tribune, Siraj Afridi, the proprietor of City Arms, explained that locals do not purchase arms from Peshawar's gun shops, as they prefer indigenously-made arms from Darra Adam Khel. The 80 functional small arms manufacturing units operating in Peshawar rely solely on orders from... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Express Tribune (Pakistan) / International Herald Tribune
22 January 2013
Colombo Telegraph
In the Officers' Mess of Pakistan's famed Frontier Force Regiment (the Piffers), at the Regimental Centre, located at Abbotabad near the Khyber Pass (the cantonment town at which US SEALS found and killed Osama bin Laden – remember?) on the border with Afghanistan, there is a huge mural, done in the days of the British Raj, showing a team of Mules pulling a huge Howitzer Canon into a battle field in the swirling dust, with a group of Madrassi sappers of the Madras... (GunPolicy.org)
Czech Republic,Hungary,Côte d'Ivoire,Iran,Guinea,Niger,Russia,South Sudan,China,Uganda,Afghanistan,Nigeria,Kenya,Iraq,Congo (DRC)
Trail of Bullet Casings Leads from Africa's Wars Back to Iran
11 January 2013
New York Times
The first clues appeared in Kenya, Uganda and what is now South Sudan. A British arms researcher surveying ammunition used by government forces and civilian militias in 2006 found Kalashnikov rifle cartridges he had not seen before. The ammunition bore no factory code, suggesting that its manufacturer hoped to avoid detection.
Within two years other researchers were finding identical cartridges circulating through the ethnic violence in Darfur. Similar ammunition then... (GunPolicy.org)
England & Wales,Djibouti,Sri Lanka,Yemen,Somalia,European Union
British Authorities Question Legality, Security of 'Floating' Gun Armouries
10 January 2013
Guardian (UK)
Private security companies guarding ships against Somali pirates are increasingly storing their weapons on so-called "floating armouries" in international waters, to avoid arms smuggling laws when they dock in ports.
About 20 ships stocked with assault rifles and other small arms as well as ammunition, body armour and night vision goggles are scattered around the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, the EU naval force has confirmed.
The legal status of... (GunPolicy.org)
Pakistan Bans Issuing of New Gun Licences Ahead of Election
5 January 2013
Express Tribune (Pakistan) / International Herald Tribune
KARACHI - The Sindh government has banned the issuance of new weapons' licences until the general election.
The decision comes following the recommendation of the chief election commissioner to finalise security and administrative arrangements for the elections, said an official of the Sindh home department. Fakharuddin G. Ebrahim proposed banning new permits for weapons during a meeting of the election commission on Wednesday.
The notification has yet to be issued... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Express Tribune (Pakistan) / International Herald Tribune
India: Delhi Women Rush for Gun Licences after Fatal Gang Rape
3 January 2013
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
Hundreds of women in Delhi have applied for gun licences following the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman by six men in a bus in the city last month.
The news underlines the widespread sense of insecurity in the city, deep before the incident and deeper now, as well as the lack of faith in law enforcement agencies.
The ashes of the victim of the attack - who died on Friday after 13 days in hospitals in India and Singapore and was cremated in Delhi in a secret... (GunPolicy.org)
Zimbabwe,Pakistan,Colombia,United States,Brazil
Brazil Should Continue Responsible Gun Control, Reduce Deaths Further
25 December 2012
Rio Times, Opinion
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Last week's slaughter of twenty elementary school children in the United States has tragic echoes with the massacre in Realengo, Rio de Janeiro earlier this year. At 8:30 AM on April 7th, Wellington Oliveira calmly walked into a classroom with two .38 and .32 caliber handguns, and shot twelve children dead.
At least sixty shots were fired and twenty boys and girls were critically wounded. It was the worst school massacre in Brazilian history.... (GunPolicy.org)
India's Growing Gun Culture, 40 Million Firearms 'A Concern'
20 December 2012
Gulf News (Dubai)
At about noon on November 17, Ponty Chadha, 55, a shady liquor baron, was gunned down outside his family farmhouse near New Delhi — by his brother, Hardeep Chadha, who was in turn was killed by the billionaire's guards. The feud centred on a property dispute. Things came to a head after Ponty asked his guards to deface the farmhouse board carrying Hardeep's name. When the younger brother got wind of this, he rushed to the spot and opened fire. Fifteen slugs were... (GunPolicy.org)
Israel,India,Czech Republic,Switzerland,United States,Italy
Indian Factory to Make 1 Million Rifles for Army Upgrade
16 December 2012
Sunday Standard / New Indian Express (Chennai)
NEW DELHI - The Indian Army has half a million rifles and carbines it doesn't want, and now plans to junk them all over the next five years. The dark lining is that these infantry weapons were developed and manufactured in India to equip four lakh soldiers at an expenditure of Rs 25,000 crore over two decades. So far, so bad. Now add another Rs 50,000 crore that will have to be spent over the next decade to re-equip our soldiers with the four kinds of weapons that are... (GunPolicy.org)
India Struggling with Illegal Arms Trade, Rise in Gun-Related Crime
28 November 2012
Time (USA)
In a small tent, in a village about 60 miles outside the capital, Salim is putting the finishing touches on his gun. Despite the bright sun outside, the shelter is dark and Salim, who uses only one name, has to bend close to see the homemade pistol he's been working on for the last hour. Salim, 50, makes pistols and rifles in his clandestine workshop in Jhola, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, where many villagers work in India's illegal gun making trade. Low... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Market Booming in India
25 November 2012
Economic Times (India)
The details are still fuzzy as to who shot who, but the rivalry between liquor baron Ponty Chadha and his brother Hardeep ended in bloodbath at their Chattarpur farmhouse last week. Not just the brazenness of the act but also the wanton display of firepower stunned the entire country, forcing the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance and question the national gun-control norms. Clearly, the market for illegal weapons is booming in India. But where are the guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 60,000 'Outstanding' Gun Licences in India with Security on Rise
24 November 2012
Economic Times (India)
The rich have problems the rest of us don't adequately appreciate. Signifiers of wealth and status outlive their utility all too frequently. The material allure of expensive vehicles, clothes, accessories, elite education and club membership all fade considerably when others at a dinner party also possess them.
It is at the cusp of this problem and a unique Delhi VIP culture exacerbated by the ubiquitous movement of political figures with their armed commandos, that... (GunPolicy.org)
27 Prisoners Killed, 42 People Wounded in Sri Lankan Prison Shooting
10 November 2012
Associated Press / Yahoo! News (America)
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A shootout between rioting prisoners and security forces at a prison in Sri Lanka's capital killed at least 27 inmates, while police said Saturday that they arrested five prisoners who had managed to escape and were searching for others.
Another 42 people were wounded in the clashes Friday between inmates and army and police commandos that broke out after the rioting prisoners broke into the armory and briefly took control of at least part of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities Worried About Gun Crime, Availability of Weapons Rising
7 November 2012
Gulf Times (Doha) / Agence France Presse
It was a classic bank heist in many ways. Armed men using a stolen car and motorbikes held up a van carrying cash in central New Delhi, shot a guard, and made off with the money.
While familiar in many countries and a set-piece of Hollywood films, it set alarm bells ringing in India where gun crime and armed robbery is still low by the standards of other developing countries in Latin America or Africa.
The daylight robbery in September and several mass shootings in... (GunPolicy.org)
Homemade Guns Involved in Myanmar Conflict, Thousands Displaced
1 November 2012
Nation (Pakistan)
YANGON/DHAKA - Communal bloodshed in western Myanmar risks developing into "armed terrorist acts", the government said Wednesday, after homemade firearms were used in the latest deadly fighting.
The government said 180 guns were seized during the new wave of conflict between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine state, which has killed dozens and seen whole neighbourhoods razed. It said several people had been arrested on suspicion of making the weapons.
"The clashes... (GunPolicy.org)
India Craft Gunsmith Caught for Fourth Time Illegally Making Weapons
24 October 2012
Times of India
NEW DELHI - Munger in Bihar may have earned nationwide notoriety as a manufacturing hub of illicit arms but it is Meerut, closer home, which feeds much of the demand for guns in Delhi and its vicinity. The recent discovery of a gun factory in Meerut has revealed that illegal arms from this west UP town are lapped up by criminals in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
The special cell's raid at the factory was prompted by the arrest of 55-year-old Om Singh,... (GunPolicy.org)
India's Criminals Shun Craft Guns for More Expensive Modern Pistols
23 October 2012
Gulf News (Dubai) / Indo-Asian News Service (India)
NEW DELHI - A bank van was recently robbed of Rs52.5 billion (Dh3.58 billion) and its guard shot dead. The disturbing use of a weapon in the crime indicates the growing use of modern firearms by criminals in Delhi.
Be it robbery or murder, more and more criminals in the capital are opting for guns in particular, for a better strike rate and efficiency. Gone is the infamous 'katta' (home-made firearm), according to Delhi Police data.
The gun's steep price is clearly... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Gulf News (Dubai) / Indo-Asian News Service (India)
Lack of Guns Saves Lives says Maldives Gang Leader
22 October 2012
Guardian (UK)
Ibrahim sits in a dark corner of a cafe, talking about his gang, the stabbings and the money he makes from selling heroin. Outside, locals splash through the narrow lanes of the congested capital of the Maldives under a heavy monsoon shower. "It's been a good few months. We've been doing well," he says, lighting another cigarette. Recently Ibrahim's gang has been busy with a new sideline: providing political parties with muscle to intimidate opponents, swell meetings... (GunPolicy.org)
Local India Elections Threatened by Series of Candidate Homicides
18 October 2012
New York Times
NOWPORA JAGIR, India — On the day he was killed, Mohammad Shafiq Teli was working on a new sewage drain, precisely the sort of unglamorous, if essential, project that village governance is supposed to provide. Except that, for more than three decades, there had been no local governments here in the villages of Kashmir, India's tinderbox.
Last year, despite a threat of violence, rural Kashmiris turned out in huge numbers to elect village councils, known as gram... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Sri Lanka,United Arab Emirates
UAE Detains Floating Gun Arsenal, Experts say Regulation Needed
17 October 2012
National (Abu Dhabi)
DUBAI - Alarm bells have sounded over the appearance of ships doubling as floating arsenals near UAE waters.
Of the estimated 12 armoury ships operating globally, at least four are known to operate off the coast of Fujairah.
They rent weapons to security companies that guard merchant vessels in the areas where pirates are active, and act as ammunition stores for security companies en route to UAE, Yemen or Saudi Arabian waters, where weapons from other countries are... (GunPolicy.org)
Drugs, Firearms Found on Trains from Pakistan to India Despite Crackdown
11 October 2012
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
Frequent seizures of heroin, arms and ammunition, and fake currency from goods train as well as Samjhauta Express coming from Pakistan have thrown up serious security challenges for India. Despite regular protest letters from India and meetings of customs officials of both sides, things haven't changed but only gone bad.
The recent seizure of 105-kg heroin has baffled the security agencies. Not only heroin, many a time, the customs and other agencies have seized... (GunPolicy.org)
Army Allege Over 100 Chinese-Made Guns Seized on Kashmir Border
27 September 2012
Hindu (Chennai)
Army on Thursday said it has found over 100 assorted weapons of Chinese make near the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector of Kashmir.
"More than 100 weapons, including 98 pistols, have been seized near the Line of Control in Keran Sector of Kupwara district," an army spokesman said.
He said the recoveries included 10 AK rifles and two assault rifles of other makes.
"The weapons are of Chinese make and the packing material like newspapers are also Chinese," the... (GunPolicy.org)
India's Criminals get Guns from Local Factories, Police Want Law Change
26 September 2012
Daily Mail (UK)
Criminals in Delhi are arming themselves with sophisticated weapons that are readily available from local arms factories, making them more dangerous than ever before.
According to Delhi Police sources, some of these weapons can use ammunition meant for imported arms, which are available on the black market and have added to their firepower.
Delhi Police has prepared an eye-opening report on the 'easy availability of high-quality firearms' in the Capital and the... (GunPolicy.org)
India's Criminals Prefer 'Brand' Guns, Extortion Rates Rise to Fund Them
24 September 2012
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
GUWAHATI - If the brand craze rules the average Indian, can the insurgent be far behind?
The old guard might have settled for cheap Chinese copies of Kalashnikovs, but the new age rebel prefers to flaunt Glocks, Berettas and Heckler and Kochs. And to fund the jazzy arsenal, the extortion rate has gone up by nearly 30%.
Officials engaged in counterinsurgency say in Meghalaya, the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) is replacing its Kalashnikovs with the Germanmade... (GunPolicy.org)
Black Market for Guns Thrives in India's Capital
23 September 2012
Times of India
NEW DELHI - An illegal arms bazaar is thriving in the city and it is easy to procure a gun if you have the money and right contacts. From simple kattas (crude handguns) to sophisticated automatics, everything's available for prices ranging from Rs 4,000 to Rs 2 lakh.
The trade has changed in some ways over the last decade. For one, it does not cater to only gangsters anymore. As the events of the last few weeks show, even lovers with a grudge can find guns easily now.... (GunPolicy.org)
India Authorities Blame Gun Availability for Rise in Homicides
20 September 2012
Times of India
NEW DELHI - Over the past fortnight, Delhi has witnessed a series of brutal killings caused by unrequited love that has surprised the cops and shocked the city. But consultant psychiatrists as well as sociologists feel that those involved in these crimes were emotionally too ill-equipped to negotiate refusal and at its core, the issue wasn't love but control.
The crime spots of the "jilted lover syndrome" are peppered over different parts of the city. But what's common... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Police Say Illegal Gun Trade in Tourist Hub Real Threat
8 September 2012
New Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram)
Senior police officers in the Kathmandu Valley have warned that Nepali capital has been turned into a hub for illegal trade of small arms and guns.
The nation's one and only major tourist hub Thamel has become a major centre for illegal exchange and buying of small arms, which threatens the safety of foreign tourists, said Hanumandhoka Jaya Bahadur Chand, chief of the Kathmandu District Police also known as Metropolitan Police Range (MPR), Xinhua reported.
"We fear... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Man Shoots Self, Five Others After Rejected Proposal
3 September 2012
Times of India
NEW DELHI / GHAZIABAD - Spurned by a married woman, a heavily armed 27-year-old jobless youth went on a killing spree that left six people dead, including himself, in Delhi and Ghaziabad on Monday.
The bloodbath began when the alleged killer, Ravi, visited the home of his cousin Navin, a BPO cab driver who lived in Bindapur near Dwarka in southwest Delhi. Ravi had earlier proposed to Navin's wife Renu, 24, who had rejected him.
Police said Ravi was armed with an... (GunPolicy.org)
Punjab Women Take Up Guns to Shoot Criminals, Rebels, 'Spoiled Brats'
1 September 2012
Tribune (India)
CHANDIGARH - Septuagenarian Amrik Kaur of Amarkot, a recipient of the Shaurya Chakra, a top civilian gallantry award, wants arms licences for both her daughters-in-law to carry forward the family tradition of keeping its women armed.
Amrik Kaur — once known as the "lioness of the border areas" — used to engage militants in night-long encounters during the peak of militancy in Punjab. Though she lost her husband Shahbeg Singh and domestic help Mukhtyar Singh in one... (GunPolicy.org)
Increasing Demand for 'Status Symbol' Guns in India
16 August 2012
Indian Express
Is procuring a gun that difficult? Not quite it seems. The recent arrest of three Osmania University students for possessing illegal arms settles the debate to some extent. But when it comes to issuing gun licences, the Hyderabad Police is fairly conservative.
However, even by their conservative stats, it appears that more and more number of people, including a few women, in the twin cities are queuing up to get a licence.
Half of the applications are usually rejected... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Nepal Gun Owners Get Weapons Back After Amnesty
13 August 2012
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - After making amendments to the Arms and Ammunition Rules, 2028, the government today called all licence holders of small arms to renew their licences and take the arms back which were voluntarily submitted to the government or seized by security forces during the conflict which ended in 2006.
On July 27, the Cabinet took a decision to this effect of handing over the arms which were legally owned according to the rules within six months. Some people had... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Politicians Able to Buy Confiscated Guns Despite Criminal Charges
3 August 2012
BBC News
Why do so many Indian parliamentarians need guns?
And why are guns being sold to MPs who have criminal cases pending against them?
Nobody quite knows. But the government's reply to a freedom of information request on gun ownership among MPs has revealed some startling facts:
- 756 guns were sold to MPs and VIPs - usually politicians - in India between 1987 and 2012.
- 82 MPs purchased guns being sold off by the state between 2001 and 2012.
- 18 of these 82 MPs have... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Police Say Demand Growing for Gun Licences, Illegal Weapons
2 August 2012
Times of India
AHMEDABAD - The wealth of the city and areas nearby has grown in the past half decade or so, and the number of firearms has also corresponded with this. In Ahmedabad city and parts of Gandhinagar, applications for firearm licences have increased by 25 per cent in the last two years. In the city alone, the firearm licence branch receives about 25 new applications every month.
J B Gadhvi, inspector of licence branch, said most applications come from persons fearful for... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Faces Growing 'Gun Culture' and Crime Rate
26 July 2012
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU: A burgeoning trade in small arms has accentuated [the] threat to public security in the Kathmandu Valley, which witnessed three shooting-related deaths in the fiscal year 2011/12.
The September 26 murder of Muslim activist Faizan Ahmed, December 23 murder of jeweller Harka Bahadur Diyali and the May 31 assassination of Supreme Court Justice Rana Bahadur Bam in Lalitpur highlight the threat that these arms pose. So far, police have managed to bring the... (GunPolicy.org)
Rate of Homicide Using Unlicensed Guns Rises in Maharashtra, India
23 July 2012
Times of India
The police in Maharashtra seem to have another growing problem on their hands. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, the number of murders with unlicensed firearms increased in the state every year by more than 30% since 2009.
An NCRB report showed that 37 people were killed in Maharashtra in 2009 with unlicensed firearms. The next year, the figure rose by 32% to 49. And the year after that, it reached 67, a rise of 37%. Altogether, from 2007 and 2011, more... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Sports Shooters Accused of Selling Guns to Black Market
22 July 2012
Daily News & Analysis (India)
The 1991 shootout at Lokhandwala in which the police killed gangster Maya Dolas indicated that ammunition imported for the use of sports shooters had ended up with criminals.
A specific type of ammunition called wadcutter .32 was found at the encounter site. "Wadcutters are used only for sports events. Since I am also into shooting, I knew about it," said a retired senior police officer. It goes without saying that arms and ammunition designed for shooting as a sport... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Shootings, Stray Bullets Killed 41 Indians in 7 Months
19 July 2012
Hindustan Times (Lucknow)
LUCKNOW - The death of Mehtab, a 10-year-old boy, in celebratory firing at Bareilly on Tuesday indicates the state government's efforts have not succeeded in checking the unwelcome practice. In the last seven months, 41 people have been killed in such incidents in various districts.
After two deaths in Faizabad in May, the state government had directed the district administration officials to cancel the licence, as well as initiate legal action against those who used... (GunPolicy.org)
More Indian Women Getting Gun Licences for Self-Defence
15 July 2012
Times of India
INDORE - Firearms and guns are catching the fancy and imagination of Indore women like never before. This year in the first half gun licenses were issued to six women as against the 12 in the past year. Officials say the number would go up by the end of the year.
In the past women hardly applied for gun licenses except for transfer of licenses issued in their late husband's name, said a senior official. But now, there are several applicants seeking license for fresh... (GunPolicy.org)
Alleged Nepal Gun Smuggling Ring Linked to Organised Crime, Police
14 July 2012
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
BIRGUNJ - Organised mafias are involved in the weapon smuggling in cahoots with police personnel posted at police offices of Parsa, Bara, Rautahat districts, sources said.
According to security officials, different organised groups are active in purchasing the stolen weapons in nexus with police personnel.
Police investigation on the lost weapons shows that leaders of different parties wielding clout in the region are involved in the incident.
"We have found the... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Guns Easy to Get, Linked to Most Violent Crimes in Bangladesh
14 July 2012
Khabar South East Asia
An explosion of illegal small arms has spiked crime in Bangladesh, made its borders an arms trafficking route and above all, stolen lives.
Salma Sultana, 35, a resident of Dhaka's Mirpur suburb, knows the horrendous impact of gun violence more than most.
Returning from a relative's house with a friend on April 6th to his home, Sultana's husband, 40-year-old Hazrat Ali, came to the aid of three women out for a morning walk who were set upon by three muggers.
Ali did... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Security Forces Seize Enough Firearms for an Army from Militants
8 July 2012
Economic Times (India) / Press Trust of India
SRINAGAR -- The quantity of arms and ammunition recovered by security forces from militants in Jammu and Kashmir over the past 22 years is enough to raise an army larger than that of 150 member countries of the United Nations, officials said.
According to state home department officials, security forces have seized nearly 31,000 AK rifles of various series from the militants and their hideouts in the state since the eruption of militancy in 1990.
The security forces... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States,Pakistan,Cuba,Iran,China,Russia
Arms Trade Treaty Should Cover Broad Range of Arms and Ammunition
8 July 2012
New York Times, Editorial
The world is awash in conventional weapons, like tanks, firearms and aircraft, with the market valued at $40 billion to $60 billion a year. Far too many of these arms are fueling conflicts and atrocities in Syria, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond. They have been used to kill countless innocent civilians, and they will be used against countless more if the international community does not find a way to keep them out of the hands of unscrupulous regimes,... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal Advocates Arms Trade Treaty in UN
7 July 2012
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations Gyan Chandra Acharya yesterday reminded that millions of lives and livelihoods have perished, and serious violations of fundamental human rights have occurred due to irresponsible and illicit transfer of weapons and munitions around the troubled parts of the world.
Delivering his statement at the UN Conference on Arms Trade Treaty in New York, the Nepali envoy emphasized that a robust Arms Trade Treaty... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia's Position on the Arms Trade Treaty
6 July 2012
Voice of Russia (Moscow)
Russia has one of the most well developed arms control systems in the world and we have only one arms exporting nongovernmental agency which controls all arms trade.
Interview with Sergey Denisentsev – expert of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies from Moscow, Russia.
What is the position of Russia on IATT?
Well, the key difference between the Russian approach towards IATT and the approach of countries of the EU is the matter of goals of IATT.... (GunPolicy.org)
Syria,Russia,Africa,China,India,Pakistan,European Union,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,Congo (DRC),Sudan,Chad,Colombia
NGOs Set Minimum Specifications for Arms Trade Treaty [FR]
27 June 2012
Le Monde (France), Opinion
[Translated summary: Associations, NGOs and hundreds of members of the global coalition "Control Arms" have set minimum specifications for the future Arms Trade Treaty. It will have to control all types of conventional arms and ammunition used by military as well as by law enforcement, since they can be used for serious human rights violations. ATT will include exports but also imports, transit and all types of transfers and all actors, such as arms brokers, like Viktor... (GunPolicy.org)
Booming Sales of Pistols and Other Small Arms in Karachi, Pakistan
16 June 2012
Pakistan Today
KARACHI - The legal and illegal sale of the light weapons in the violence-hit metropolis is skyrocketing as the target killers appear to have an inclination for using the arms that are lethal but handy. These small-sized deadly arms are: 9MM, 30 bore and .22 pistol.
According to police sources, in over 90 percent incidents of targeted killings in the city the killers had used small-size but highly sophisticated weapons during the last five months.
The sources said the... (GunPolicy.org)