Gun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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,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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Police Official Arrested at Indian Airport for Carrying Ammo without Licence
13 June 2012
Indian Express
A Punjab police official was on Tuesday arrested with 52 live bullets at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here just before he was about to board a flight to Manila, a CISF official said. Inspector Atul Soni, was going to Manila on a Philippines Airlines flight when his baggage containing variants of live and spent bullets was detected by CISF security personnel at at T3 terminal. Soni, who said he was posted in Mohali, had 46 live rounds of 9 mm pistol, 3... (GunPolicy.org)
People of Ahmedabad District, India Rush for Gun Licences
8 June 2012
Indian Express
AHMEDABAD - With land prices having shot up in the auto hub of Sanand and land-owners flush with cash, the township in Ahmedabad district now wants more and more of guns.
Since 2010, when the Tatas changed the once-sleepy town into a destination of global auto majors like Ford and Peugeot by relocating its Nano plant here, Sanand has topped the list of firearms licencees.
According to data obtained from Ahmedabad district collectorate, between 2010 and May 2012, a... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Cancel 2,982 Gun Licences, Cite 'Rampant Misuse' in India
4 June 2012
Times of India
KOCHI - From now on, owning guns is not going to be an easy affair in Ernakulam as the city police have begun checking rampant misuse of licensed weapons. They are cancelling licences of existing gun owners as well as rejecting fresh applications.
According to police officials, they cancelled arms licence of 2,892 gun holders of the total 5,214 licence holders in Ernakulam district in the last two years.
The licence cancellation drive was initiated after the police... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Bust Another Fake Gun Licence Racket in Panchmahal, India
1 June 2012
Times of India
VADODARA - Close on the heels of fake gun licences racket being busted in Bharuch, Panchmahal police have also unearthed a similar fraud in the district. The special operations group (SOG) of Panchmahal police has seized five fake licences with a similar number of firearms and is probing further.
The SOG achieved breakthrough after it received information that a security guard working with a company in Baska near Halol had a fake firearm licence. Further investigations... (GunPolicy.org)
Curbing 'Rampant Misuse,' Mumbai Denies 84% of Gun Licence Requests
28 May 2012
Times of India
MUMBAI - In a bid to rein in rampant misuse of licensed weapons, the police rejected more than 80% of applications for gun licences last year, with not a single builder or film personality granted sanction. Even among those who did receive the approval, around 18% were policemen who had sought licences for personal use of firearms.
Statistics obtained through a query filed under the RTI Act show that out of 340 applications filed for gun licences in 2011, 284 were... (GunPolicy.org)
Growing Number of Indian Women Turning to Firearms for Protection
21 May 2012
Guardian (UK)
When Dr Harveen Kaur Sidhu travels from her home in an upmarket neighbourhood of the north-western Indian city of Chandigarh, she always slips her lightweight .22 revolver in her bag. The gun is a new purchase – Sidhu got her licence only a year ago – but now the 33-year-old dentist won't travel without it.
"I don't have faith in the police to protect me. There are so many attacks on women these days. It's everybody's right to defend themselves. I think all women... (GunPolicy.org)
Hong Kong,Italy,Germany,Israel,Austria,Bulgaria,Russia,India
Over 29,000 Russian AK-47s Imported by Indian Paramilitary Forces
20 May 2012
Times of India
NEW DELHI - AK-47s continue to be the preferred assault weapon for the country's paramilitary forces deployed to neutralise terrorists and Maoists at the frontiers and in the hinterland.
Over 29,000 pieces of this Russian-origin rifle were imported by forces like CRPF, BSF and NSG over the last three years, leaving behind, by a large margin, other sophisticated assault weapons procured from the US and Israel.
The inventory of the assault weapons procured for security... (GunPolicy.org)
Fake Gun Licence Racket Busted, 15 Security Guards Arrested in India
13 May 2012
Times of India
BHARUCH: At least 15 security guards of various private agencies were arrested for running a fake gun licence racket in Bharuch. Police also seized 17 illegal fire arms and 110 cartridges from the security guards working at ATM centres of various banks.
Due to central intelligence agencies' inputs regarding possible terror attacks, Bharuch police officials from C-division police station were carrying out routine checking at Golden Bridge on Narmada.
While checking two... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Military Officers Found Guilty of Illegal Gun Sales
8 May 2012
Times of India
JAISALMER: An Army court of inquiry has found 74 officers and one JCO guilty in the illegal sale of arms case in Sriganganagar between 2002 and 2004.
So far, the Army has taken disciplinary action against 33 officers. Similar punitive action has been initiated against the remaining officers, said defence spokesman Col SD Goswami.
Besides, the Standard Operating Procedure on disposal of non-service pattern weapons has been revised to avoid recurrence of such incidents,... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Vow to Strip Celebratory Shooters of Licence in Uttar Pradesh, India
25 April 2012
Indian Express
After several incidents of celebratory firings during victory processions of SP leaders and weddings, DGP AC Sharma has issued a circular to book gun licence holders involved in such incidents. The circular also said their licences will be cancelled within a month of the occurrence of such incidents.
The DGP has said that local police station officers will be accountable for such incidents taking place in their areas. The district police chiefs will ensure penal action... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Armourer Accused of Siphoning Ammo to Indian Militants for 7 Years
23 April 2012
Times of India
DIMAPUR - In a development that will shock the Nagaland police department, a recent raid conducted by 29 Assam Rifles and Dimapur Police has exposed a possible nexus between a police constable and militants. Identified as Enyimi Chakhesang, the constable has allegedly been supplying ammunition from the Police Centre Store, Chumukedima to members of NSCN (IM)
Security forces had information that the militants were stocking ammunition at the Sukhovi area and they raided... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Dip in Gun Licence Applications Due to Improved Law and Order?
18 April 2012
Telegraph (India)
Firearms are losing their spark in Patna or so it seems from the decline in the number of people seeking arms licences over the past five years.
Till a few years ago, public display of firearms was common on the roads of the state capital. This trend, however, has taken a beating since 2007 (see chart).
A source in the arms magistrate office said: "From 1990 to 2005, the annual number of applications for arms licences was almost 2,000 on an average but after 2006, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Gun Dealers Faking Gun Licences 'Security Threat' to India
12 April 2012
Nagaland Post (India)
GUWAHATI - Several armed private security guards and criminals of Assam possess firearms bought using fraudulent arms licences procured from Kangpokpi in Manipur and Dimapur in Nagaland.
Sources in the criminal investigation department (CID) of police, which is investigating the matter, said the arms and ammunition procured by using these licences, many of which were fake, had become a threat to public safety and a major concern for security forces.
"If anybody... (GunPolicy.org)
Lawyer Kills Police Officer in India - Handgun Licence Obtained in Jail
31 March 2012
Indian Express
A probe has been ordered into how lawyer Saurabh Verma, who shot dead sub-inspector (S-I) Devendra Kumar and injured a constable with his licenced revolver inside Naubasta police outpost on Thursday night, had procured firearms licence.
Verma has several criminal cases pending against him and is learnt to have procured the arms licence while he was in jail in 2004.
Kanpur SP (City) Umesh Kumar Singh told The Indian Express that the lawyer has been jailed thrice in... (GunPolicy.org)
India,China,Thailand,Laos,Asia
Indian Militants Buy $Millions of Guns from China via Thai Broker - Claim
18 March 2012
Telegraph (India)
NEW DELHI - Northeast outfits are employing crafty financial methods to procure arms worth millions of dollars and make them look like legitimate legal buys.
A series of arrests by the National Investigation Agency of militants from various outfits has revealed formulae that take the best financial brains to come up with.
A number of such devices tumbled out of the militants' closets after the NIA arrested NSCN (I-M) leader Anthony Shimray and over 20 United National... (GunPolicy.org)
Timor-Leste,Thailand,Sri Lanka,Myanmar,Indonesia,South Asia,South East Asia,Israel,Iran,Cuba,United States,Japan,China,Brunei,Philippines,Pakistan,India,Asia
UN Urges Asian Nations to Help Curb Global Trade in Illegal Guns
6 March 2012
Jakarta Post
The United Nations is urging all nations in the Asia region to implement concrete solutions to stop illegal trading in small arms and light weapons.
"Over the past decades, trade has made this region grow so phenomenally. If you are a region where international trade is what makes you tick, you better also make sure that you are seen as doing trade in the right way," UN disarmament affairs official Daniel Prins told reporters on the sidelines of opening the Asian... (GunPolicy.org)
Algeria,India,Iran,North Korea,China,Syria,Russia
Russia Faces a Growing International Outcry over Its Arms Sales to Syria
21 February 2012
Reuters
MOSCOW/BEIRUT - Russia faces a growing international outcry over its arms sales to Syria but shows no sign of bowing to pressure and has even increased deliveries of arms that critics say are helping keep President Bashar al-Assad in power.
The biggest importer of arms to Syria, Russia sold Damascus nearly $1 billion worth of arms including missile systems last year, while shipments of hard-to-track Russian small weapons have risen since the uprising against Assad... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,North America,Canada,India,Africa,Asia,United States
Guns More Common in America Than in Much of Asia, Africa - LA Times
21 February 2012
Los Angeles Times
Guns are the new bling in India, as Mark Magnier reports for The Times. Rising income, rising crime and memories of terrorism have made Indians more eager to pack a pistol:
Government worker Deep Sidhu sits in his living room feeling the weight of the family's Luger, a German World War II-era pistol, in his hands. Guns are in the blood, he says beneath a painting of a man toting a shotgun.
"This forgiveness-peace idea will only make Pakistanis think we're soft... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Culture Spreads in India: 40 Million Guns Second Only to USA
20 February 2012
Los Angeles Times
CHANDIGARH, India — Vikramjit Singh stands in the parking lot of a posh club in Chandigarh discussing one of his favorite subjects: guns. He owns 10 or so; he can't remember exactly. They may come in handy if the old family feud resurfaces.
In a Hatfield-versus-McCoy saga that haunts the 25-year-old student, his grandfather was shot to death here in the western state of Punjab and his father imprisoned for a retaliatory murder. Although the two clans signed a truce a... (GunPolicy.org)
400,000 Illegal Guns in Bangladesh, Many from India, Claims NGO
19 February 2012
Financial Express (Bangladesh)
Country's law and order situation might become unstable as cadres of different political groups were learnt to have been buying smuggled small firearms, reports UNB.
Intelligence sources told the news agency Saturday that increasing use of small firearms in different criminal activities, including murder, robbery and extortion, have increased the smuggling of firearms from across the border.
They said syndicates from two sides of the border control such smuggling of... (GunPolicy.org)
India Separatists Lay Down Hundreds of Automatic Rifles and other Weapons
24 January 2012
Reuters
GUWAHATI - Hundreds of separatists in India's northeast handed over automatic rifles and other weapons to the home minister and senior paramilitary and army officers on Tuesday, signalling the government remains open to peace talks in the region.
More than a dozen insurgent groups have been fighting the government for decades in Assam and neighbouring states of northeast India, killing thousands in attacks on civilians troops and paramilitary.
The groups blame the... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize 35 Firearms, Bust Fake Gun Licence Racket in South India
10 January 2012
Deccan Chronicle (India)
HYDERABAD - The city Task Force sleuths busted a fake gun licence racket and seized 35 illegal fire arms from security guards working in various agencies. About 11 security guards and the owner of Protection Management Services were arrested on charges of forging gun licenses and using them to procure weapons.
The police commissioner, Mr A.K. Khan, said, "Security agencies are aware of what they are doing. We checked their licences with the issuing authorities and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Tantra in Etah, India: Anyone Worth His Salt Keeps Firearms
6 January 2012
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
From being the birthplace of 12th century poet Amir Khusro to a district where the high crime rate makes virtually anyone worth his salt keep firearms, the descent of Etah into disrepute makes it a symbol of much that's wrong with UP's wild west. Its residents know this ground reality all too well.
That is why the question - what is Etah famous for? - gets seven out of 10 people here to reply 'crime', albeit after a little prodding.
One does not have to go far to see... (GunPolicy.org)
Like Pizza, Home Delivery of Illegal Guns 'Just a Phone Call' Away in Indian City
24 December 2011
Times of India
After pizza and grocery deliveries, it is now time for home delivery of weapons. Anyone who is interested in buying illegal weapons - be it a country-made pistol, rifle or shotgun - can get them with just a phone call.
In Jharkhand, the process is easy. Get in touch with the firearm manufacturer, usually based in Bihar, or one of their representatives in Jharkhand. They provide an account number in which the money can be deposited. Once the amount is deposited, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Possession a Status Symbol in India, Firearms a Common Dowry Item
22 December 2011
Star Online ((Malaysia)
Possessing firearms is a status symbol in India's northern rural belt and it isn't unusual to find guns as part of a bride's dowry.
For a country that witnesses a whopping 10 million marriages a year, India boasts a cachet of interesting nuptial traditions as well.
While the big cities are synonymous with the Big Fat Indian Wedding – occasions which showcase opulence, financial clout and the social pecking order of well-to-do families – swathes of the northern... (GunPolicy.org)
Police 'Bury Gun Culture,' Seizing Fake Licences from Hyderabad Criminals
14 December 2011
Times of India
Senior police officers say they are only acting on directives issued by higher authorities and are thus busy plugging loopholes to make laws pertaining to possession of firearms watertight. "We have no problems with players possessing firearms. But there have been many instances when nefarious individuals have posed as shooters to obtain licenses and it is only natural that the rules are being tightened to stop this racket," says city police commissioner AK Khan, who is... (GunPolicy.org)
Spurt in Use of Illegal Guns Reported in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh, India
12 December 2011
Times of India
VISAKHAPATNAM - Illegal weapons are finding their way into the city. The firing incident that took place at railway station on Friday evening raised serious questions about the use of guns by criminal gangs. Police sources blamed criminals from other states for the use of illegal fire arms. A person, believed to be a CISF constable was arrested by police on Saturday, in related to Friday's firing incident. They suspect that he and his colleagues were involved in three... (GunPolicy.org)
India,China,South East Asia,Myanmar,Bangladesh
Indian Insurgents Procuring, Smuggling Arms from China, Southeast Asia
9 December 2011
Times of India
NEW DELHI - Insurgent groups in the northeast are procuring arms in China and some other South East Asian countries before smuggling them into India through Myanmar and Bangladesh, the government has said.
"There are reports that insurgent outfits operating in the northeastern states of India have been procuring arms through smugglers based in the Yunnan province of China, Myanmar and South East Asian countries," minister of state for home Mullappally Ramachandran said... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,Eastern Europe,East Africa,Australia,India,Nigeria,Mozambique,Russia
Global: Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Dumps Increasing - IRIN / SAS
5 December 2011
IRIN (UN News)
JOHANNESBURG - The rate of accidents at munitions storage sites has risen to unprecedented levels in 2011, despite a growing international commitment to assist countries in managing their weapons and ammunition stockpiles.
"During the first ten months of 2011, the average number of explosions has increased to more than three per month - the highest rate recorded in a calendar year," said the Small Arms Survey (SAS), a Geneva-based NGO monitoring small arms and armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Central Asia,United States,Afghanistan,India
US Gets India to Train 30,000 Afghan Soldiers, Give Them Assault Rifles
3 December 2011
National (Abu Dhabi)
NEW DELHI - India plans to fly 20,000 to 30,000 Afghan troops to training bases in India over the next three years and is expanding its presence in Afghanistan as US troops leave.
The US is reportedly eager for more countries to take on part of the US$12 billion (Dh44bn) training bill for the Afghan security forces, and is also running out of time, having set 2014 as the deadline for transferring combat duties to local troops.
With the Afghan government unwilling to... (GunPolicy.org)
Bangladesh,Myanmar,India,Thailand,Cambodia
Menace of Illicit Small Arms Industry, Trade, Violence in India - Opinion
28 November 2011
Express Buzz (India), Opinion
According to a recent study, India witnessed 4,100 gunshot murders in 2008. These murders would work out to 12.2 per cent of the over 33,700 murders reported during the year. Overall, there were over 6,200 deaths due to gunshots; about 66 per cent of them were murders, 26.3 per cent were accidental deaths and 7.7 per cent were suicides. It was also reported that most of the victims of firearm murders in India were killed using unlicensed firearms.
Studies conducted... (GunPolicy.org)
India Police Unearth Illegal Factory of Country-Made Guns
21 November 2011
Times of India
HAZARIBAG - Barhi Police arrested a former activist of the Jharkhand Prasstuti Committee (JPC), who had opened an illegal factory to manufacture country-made revolvers and firearms, from his hideout at Kariyatpur on Monday.
Sagarjee alias Samunder Bhuiyan had started manufacturing arms to collect money from various development schemes in the district, said SP Pankaj Kamboj.
Bhuiyan, who originally belonged to Bendi village in Katkumsandi of Hazaribag, was an activist... (GunPolicy.org)
Bihar, India Police to Melt 60,000 Illegal Guns, Convert to Farm Tools
18 November 2011
New Delhi Television (India)
MUZAFFARPUR - Blacksmith Sunil Thakur had never felt as important in his life as he did on Nov. 4, when the district police chief, an executive magistrate and a posse of junior officials visited his makeshift roadside furnace.
They handed him six country-made pistols, known as kattas, and asked him to transform them into farm and gardening tools. As a crowd assembled, the blacksmith heated the guns, and then hammered the red-hot metal for nearly an hour, shaping them... (GunPolicy.org)
India,United States,China,Germany
Increasing Availability and Seizures of Illicit Guns in Pune, India
17 November 2011
Express India
PUNE - Failure in identifying and cracking down on criminals involved in manufacturing and selling of illegal firearms is the major reason behind unchecked illegal trade of firearms in the city, police said. And investigation of some of the cases revealed that the quality of illegal firearms has improved, availability has increased while cost has gone down, police said.
According to the figures obtained by The Indian Express under the Right to Information Act (RTI)... (GunPolicy.org)
In Dholpur, Indian Families Regard a Licensed Gun as Essential Dowry
15 November 2011
Times of India
JAIPUR, ALWAR - Those living in the ravines of Dholpur love two things the most - their moustaches and arms. Grown up amidst the fear of bandits, people residing in this region say that keeping various arms at home was a 'compulsion' earlier but gradually it has become a 'status symbol' for them. Moving ahead, some of them have no hesitation in gifting arms varying from rifles to pistols to their would be sons-in-law. And that too with a valid licence.
Though the... (GunPolicy.org)
From Arms to Farms - Indian State Plans to Melt Guns Into Garden Tools
9 November 2011
BBC News
PATNA, Bihar - Police in the northern Indian state of Bihar have come up with an original way to deal with the surfeit of seized illegal firearms that are stored in police station storehouses, or malkhanas.
They have decided to melt the weapons down into farming and gardening tools.
"The weapons stashed in police station malkhanas are of no use once the legal process of the case is over. They stink like dead bodies," says Abhyanand, the Bihar police chief who has... (GunPolicy.org)
India,Afghanistan,Iraq,Sierra Leone,South Africa,Saudi Arabia,United States,United Kingdom,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
'The Shadow World', an Incisive Exposé of the ArmsTrade - Book Review
1 November 2011
Telegraph (UK), Book review
If there is one book unlikely to appear on the Christmas reading lists of the former defence secretary Liam Fox and his self-professed adviser Adam Werritty, one suspects that this is it. The sorry case of Dr Fox and the mystery chum-cum-lobbyist amplifies what critics of the defence procurement industry – Feinstein prefers the racier "global arms trade" – have long argued. To put it mildly, and in a nutshell, it is not known for its transparency. Nor, for that... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Russia,Europe,North Africa,West Asia,Bahrain,Egypt,Libya,Syria,Yemen,Austria,Belgium,Bulgaria,Czech Republic,France,Germany,Italy,United Kingdom,Spain,India
Major Arms Exporters Accused of Mideast Gun Sales Before Human Rights
24 October 2011
al Jazeera
According to an Amnesty International report, the US, Russia and a number of European countries supplied large quantities of weapons to repressive governments in the Middle East and North Africa before this year's uprisings.
The report says that these arms deals were signed despite evidence of a substantial risk that they could be used to commit serious human rights violations.
The human rights group reports that in the five years preceding the Arab spring $2.4bn... (GunPolicy.org)
After Accidental Handgun Shooting, India Police Need Training on Gun Use
6 October 2011
Daily News & Analysis (India)
The accidental firing from the service pistol of a traffic constable at the police commissionerate has brought to the fore the rather "amateurish" manner in which a section of the police force handles firearms.
On Tuesday afternoon, constable Vijay Bhusare (27) attached to the Pune police traffic branch was injured when a bullet hit him when his colleague, Amol Sarde, was displaying his pistol and explaining its functioning.
"Sarde initially loaded the pistol with... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Germany,Russia,India
India's Unlicensed Gun Market Thrives on Smuggled, Home Made Firearms
5 October 2011
First Post (Mumbai)
A 10-year-old boy was accidentally shot dead by his 12-year-old neighbour while they were playing cop and thief in West Delhi earlier this week. On 24 September, 23-year-old toll attendant, Umeshkant Pandey, was shot dead by the driver of a white Bolero. His crime: he asked the driver to pay Rs 27 as toll tax.
Gun crime has consistently been on the rise in India, and every few weeks, there is a new tragedy. An armed gang shoots a woman over a small piece of jewellery,... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Mining, Gun Ownership Hit Simultaneous High in Indian Province
26 September 2011
Indian Express
BANGALORE - In the iron ore mining district of Bellary, guns have grown alongside illegal mining. The district authorities issued the maximum number of gun licences in the year that illegal mining hit an all-time high.
A number of the licences were to members of what has now been described as an organised illegal mining syndicate from Bellary with its pivotal figure being former district-in-charge minister G Janardhan Reddy, arrested by the CBI as part of... (GunPolicy.org)
Shootings Highlight Disturbing Trend: Easy Availability of Guns in India
25 September 2011
India Today, Editorial
The wanton murder of Umeshkant Pandey, an attendant at the Gurgaon toll plaza, on Thursday has once again highlighted the rising gun culture in the national capital. Pandey, 22, was shot by a man for merely asking for the Rs 27 toll fee.
His killing is akin to that of Delhi University student Radhika Tanwar - who was shot dead in March this year by a man who claimed to have been a jilted lover, but was probably a mere stalker.
These cases highlight certain disturbing... (GunPolicy.org)
85% of India's 40 Million Private Guns are Illegal - Small Arms Survey
21 September 2011
Indian Express
NEW DELHI - India has seen a drastic reduction in deaths due to firearms crimes but Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh remain the most dangerous states and account for more than 60 per cent of all deaths recorded that were related to small arms, a new survey has suggested.
A report by the Small Arms Survey, a research group based out of Geneva, has recorded crime statistics in India over a 10-year period from 1999 and says that the number of suicides, murders and... (GunPolicy.org)
Easy Availability of Illegal Guns in India, Guns Behind 12% of Murders
21 September 2011
Tribune (India)
NEW DELHI - The easy availability of illegal firearms made Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand witness to two-thirds of all murders committed using firearms in 2008, the latest year for which the related data is available.
India, as a whole, witnessed 4,101 gunshot murders during the period. These accounted for 12.2 per cent of the 33,727 murders reported during the year. Overall, the country lost 6,219 persons to gunshots - 66 pc of them were murdered, 26.3 pc killed... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal: Impact of Small Arms on Gender
20 September 2011
Telegraph (Nepal), Opinion
1. Facts:
Small arms:
Small Arms mean the weapons that a single and individual can carry and operate. For example revolvers, self loading pistols, rifles, carbines, assault rifles, sub machineguns, light machineguns and associated ammunitions.[1]
Light weapons means that can be operate two or three people. They may include heavy machine gun, hand–held under barrel and mounted grenade launcher, portable anti-aircraft and missile launcher, explosives, anti personal... (GunPolicy.org)
India: Cartridge Shortage in Open Market for Handgun Licence Holders
20 September 2011
Times of India
VARANASI - For arms licence holders, their revolvers and pistols are proving to be mere show pieces as there is a crisis of cartridges in the open market.
The craze for small firearms like revolvers and pistols has increased in a decade or two. According to the arms section of district magistrate office, there are 14,851 arms licence holders in the district while around 3,300 people are in queue for fresh arms licences. Among the total arms licence holders, about 30%... (GunPolicy.org)
Small Arms Trafficking on Nepal-India Border Poses Security Threat
15 September 2011
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
DHANGADHI - Illegal transaction in small weapons has been on the rise on the Nepal-India border in the far west region for some time.
Police seized four small weapons in a month. A police patrol seized two American made automatic pistols and a revolver from Chaukidanda area Malakheti-3 on September 11.
According to police, the pistols were seized from six youths who were on two motorcycles, but they failed to nab the youths who fled. SP Bashanta Panta, District... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Launch Crackdown on Gun Smuggling from India to Nepal
12 September 2011
República (Kathmandu)
NEPALGUNJ - Banke police have launched a crackdown on smuggling of weapons into Nepal from India.
A day after seizing two revolvers and two home-made pistols, Banke police on Friday seized two more home-made pistols. Police have seized 12 weapons of various types in the last two months alone.
"As Dashain festival approaches, criminals are smuggling small arms from India to extort businessmen," said SP Dinesh Amatya of Banke police. "Therefore, we have launched a... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Man Mortgages Land for Gun Licence, Extra Pay as Security Guard
3 September 2011
Hindustan Times (Delhi)
To get hired as a security guard, an arms licence is a necessary qualification. In fact, it is such a prized item that security guard Vishram Singh, 23, had mortgaged his ancestral land in Uttar Pradesh to get his hands on one before setting out for Delhi in 2008, his family said.
"Though our clients come from varied backgrounds, a very large number of them are those who want employment as security guards," said a senior police officer from the licensing branch of... (GunPolicy.org)
Nepal,India,France,Germany,United Kingdom,United States,China,South Asia,Pakistan
Global Gun Trade Treaty the Only Way to Control 'Arms Bazaar'
25 July 2011
República (Kathmandu), Opinion
In 2009, I recall visiting a militant camp in India's North East a day before they would surrender. The deputy commander who was in charge and allegedly responsible for the death of at least 200 people brandished his M16 assault rifle and flaunted his bodyguard who was following him with a rocket launcher. He was calm but shifty-eyed and admitted having a personal saving of a few billion INR in his account. Barely 24 hours after his formal surrender, he was in seen in... (GunPolicy.org)
14-yr Old Nepal Girl Arrested for Illegal Handgun Possession in India
22 July 2011
Deccan Herald (Kathmandu)
Ninth-grader Sadhana Limbu was expecting to return to her school in Nepal's tea garden district of Jhapa next week after spending a brief vacation with her family in Kathmandu.
Instead, the 14-year-old girl is now in police custody in the capital, facing interrogation and a tough ordeal that could include imprisonment.
She was caught by Nepal's airport authorities Thursday while trying to board a domestic flight from Kathmandu to Jhapa.
Among the books and clothes in... (GunPolicy.org)
Chennai: One of the Most Stringent Gun Licence Procedures in India
12 July 2011
Times of India
CHENNAI -- When it comes to issuing gun licences, you could say Tamil Nadu has the most stringent procedures compared to others in the country.
Applicants have to go through levels of scrutiny, right from the police stations to the government ordnance factories to the commissioner of police, proving every step of the way that they have no criminal or civil cases against them before they finally get their hands on a gun.
"There are inquiries at every level. Around... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Indian Gun Owner Shot, Killed 13yr-old Boy for Stealing Apples
11 July 2011
Indian Express
CHENNAI -- The mystery behind the shocking murder of a child who strayed into an Army residential compound was solved after a week of investigation, with the Crime Branch sleuths arresting a retired lieutenant colonel for shooting the boy dead.
Kandasamy Ramraj, a former assistant engineer in the Small Arms wing of the Electrical and Mechanical Department, has confessed to the crime, and the US-made rifle that was used for the murder was recovered from the bottom of... (GunPolicy.org)
Western Europe,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States,China,India,Guatemala
Private Security Guards Now Outnumber Police Worldwide - New Survey
6 July 2011
Sunday Times (UK) / AFP
GENEVA - Private security companies employ up to 25.5 million people across the world, exceeding the number of police officers, and hold up to 3.7 million firearms, a survey said Wednesday.
"The global trend towards downsizing government, including public security institutions, has contributed to the growth of the private security sector," said the Geneva Graduate Institute's small arms survey.
"In prisons, at airports, along borders and on the street, security... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,United States,Europe,India,China,Russia,Libya,France
France Air-dropped Guns to Libyan Civilians: In Breach of Arms Embargo?
30 June 2011
Le Point (France) / Reuters
[Translated summary: France acknowledged that it airlifted small arms to Libyan civilians fighting Moammar Gadhafi's forces in a besieged mountain region south of Tripoli. Critics say that this is against the UN arms embargo].
NEW YORK, PARIS - La France a défendu sa décision de parachuter des armes aux insurgés libyens, une opération à laquelle l'Otan n'a pas été associée et qui suscite jeudi une controverse, les Nations unies ayant imposé en février un... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Businessman Arrested for Smuggling Gun Parts from United States
30 June 2011
Times of India
MUMBAI - The crime intelligence unit (CIU) arrested a wholesale supplier of health and protein drinks, Sanjay Chaudhry, from the Mumbai airport for smuggling spare gun parts from the US.
Sleuths screened his baggage and found several gun parts like springs, triggers, hammers and magazines.
The cops have also arrested one Shivananda Shetty, who bought gun parts from Chaudhry and sold them to dealers in the grey market.
Chaudhry came under the crime branch's scanner... (GunPolicy.org)
Madras High Court Rules Indian Citizens Have Right to Possess Firearms
29 June 2011
Daily News & Analysis (India)
The Madras high court bench here has ruled that citizens could possess weapons and revenue and police officials could not deny them arms licence by citing law and order problem.
Allowing a petition filed by an S Rajkapur, an agriculturist, who was denied a licence by the commissioner for revenue administration as well as Theni district revenue officer in 2004 and 2005 to possess a double barrel gun, Justice D Hariparandhaman said that unless the applicants' antecedents... (GunPolicy.org)
India: Gun Survivors Predict Manipur Could Soon Be Land of Widows
18 June 2011
Morung Express (India)
IMPHAL -- "Manipur will be called a land of widows if armed conflict is not stopped", said founder and secretary general of Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network (MWGSN) Binalaksmi Nepram at the fifth day of the week long Global Week of Action on Gun Violence Friday.
Over 20,000 people have been killed in the last five decades in Manipur due to arm related conflicts, she said and pointed out that according to official statistics, in 2008 alone more than 400 people have... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,China,Nepal,Italy,India,United States
High Incidence of Small Arms Violence in Nepal: India Border, Armed Women
16 June 2011
MSN News / Indo-Asian News Service
KATHMANDU -- As over 70 countries in the world Thursday begin observing the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence, peace activists rue that even five years after the end of an armed insurrection, Nepal is still wracked by gunfire, thanks to the 1,800-km open border with India.
'There have been 1,013 incidents of violence caused by small arms in the last 17 months,' says Subodh Pyakurel, chief of Informal Sector Service Center (Insec), Nepal's largest NGO that... (GunPolicy.org)
Uttar Pradesh Police Bust Gun Running Racket, Seize Illegal Pistols
3 June 2011
Times of India
Uttar Pradesh Police busted a gun-running racket with the arrest of the gang's main courier and mastermind, while he was on to Balia with a consignment of five automatic pistols with 10 magazines. Special director general, ATS, Brij Lal on Thursday said that the arrest came following some specific intelligence on the gang's kingpin and the main courier Jagannath, a resident of Bilriyaganj in Azamgarh. On the basis of the information, police intercepted Jagannath during... (GunPolicy.org)
Leaders of an Indian Political Party Seek Gun Licences
21 May 2011
Times of India
HYDERABAD - The near fatal attack on Akbaruddin Owaisi in Old City on April 30 this year has the leaders of the MIM nervous; they are now scurrying to procure licensed weapons for themselves.
At last count, at least 12 MIM corporators have applied for arms licences.
Till Owaisi was attacked, MIM's dominance of the political scene in Old City was clearly visible and its leaders used to confidently move around among the people. But things have changed drastically with... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Police Arrest 7 of Their Own, Bust Gun Making, Arms Dealing Ring
3 May 2011
Indian Express
Punjab Police have busted an interstate gang of gun runners dealing in bootleg weapons made in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The gang operated with the connivance of police personnel as, of the 15 persons arrested, seven are from the police force. Police claimed this gang was the main supplier of arms to Maoists and they were investigating its links with other terror groups.
Addressing a press conference here today, Director General of Police, Punjab, PS... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Licensing Racket in India: Police Questioning 695 Gun Owners
29 April 2011
Press Trust of India
Jammu and Kashmir Police today summoned 695 gun licence holders for questionings in connection with the fake licensing racket in the state.
"The 695 licences should appear before investigation officer at Bakshi Nagar Police Station along with the gun licence and to record their statements," a notification issued by the sub-divisional police officer, Bakshi Nagar, said.
It also said that they should deposit their guns in the police stations concerned within 15 days... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Gun for Shooters, Corruption, Revoke 278 Gun Licences in Mumbai
23 April 2011
Times of India
MUMBAI - Even Dirty Harry would have approved of the clean-up job. After years of showing generous leniency, the Mumbai police began gunning for errant arms owners in 2010, revoking as many as 278 gun licences for "misuse".
It was a significant change of heart for a police force that just the previous year found only four licensed gun holders violating the law. "We have tightened the screws after the 26/11 terror attacks," said a senior police official on the condition... (GunPolicy.org)
Witnesses No Longer Needed for Gun Licence, Passport in Punjab
22 April 2011
Times of India
CHANDIGARH - The Punjab government has decided to waive the requirement of two witnesses while applying for gun license, passport or government services and said self-attested forms will now be sufficient.
The decision was announced in a meeting of field officers presided by principal secretary of Punjab DS Bains and Punjab director general of police (DGP) P S Gill.
The decision was taken following the recommendation of Punjab Governance Reforms Commission (PGRC) and... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Marked Italy, UK Illegally Made in Indian Workshops - Delhi Police
20 April 2011
Times of India
NEW DELHI - In the fifth major haul this year by Delhi Police - and the third by the crime branch - another gun-running racket with its base in UP and Bihar and market in Delhi has been unearthed.
"Unlike the other consignments, this gang used to deal only with sophisticated semi-automatic weapons. Though the pistols carry marks claiming that they have been manufactured in Italy and England, all the five revolvers recovered have been traced to Munger district of... (GunPolicy.org)
CEO of Large US Multinational Arrested in India for Carrying a Single Bullet
17 March 2011
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The chief executive of medical device maker St. Jude Medical Inc. was arrested Wednesday in New Delhi after airport police found a single ammunition shell in his clothes, the company said Thursday.
CEO Daniel Starks was preparing to board a private flight from Indira Gandhi International airport on company business.
The company said in a statement that the "shell was inadvertently left in an item of his clothing." Starks is no longer in police custody,... (GunPolicy.org)
5000 Indians Die Each Year Due to Unregulated Global Gun Trade
12 March 2011
Kangla Online / Imphal Free Press (Manipur)
NEW DELHI - Each year worldwide, 500,000 people are killed directly with conventional weapons and many more are injured, abused, forcibly displaced and bereaved as a result of armed violence. And 5000 Indians are killed every year due to unregulated arms trade.
The movement of arms across the world is a huge threat to human security. 1,135 companies in 98 countries manufacture arms, ammunitions and components worldwide. Yet the global trade that fuels the epidemic of... (GunPolicy.org)
Fake Firearm Licence Rackets, Illegal Guns Just 'Tip of the Iceberg' in India
7 March 2011
Times of India
KOLKATA - Procurement of firearms with fake licences has turned into a major headache for state police.
CID officers have recovered 205 guns from different areas of West Bengal in the past year and have reasons to believe that it is just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of such arms in Bengal and procuring fake gun licences is now the safest route to getting hold of such arms and ammunition, said CID officers.
A year ago, CID officers raided a telephone... (GunPolicy.org)
5 Arrested for India-Nepal Gun Running: 'Arms Dealing Rife in Kathmandu'
3 March 2011
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - Trading in small arms has once again emerged as a threat to public security with police rounding up five arms traders in possession of six pistols, eight magazines and 12 rounds of bullets in the last few weeks.
Officials say this reflects the growing gun-culture in urban centres. There was a break in arms trading from December last year through January this year. Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) today nabbed Hira Mishra from Sitamadi of India with... (GunPolicy.org)
India Buys Another 20,000 AK-47s to Protect Luxury Trains, Repel Maoists
13 February 2011
Press Trust of India
NEW DELHI - Waking up to the threat of Maoists and terrorists, Railways is procuring 6,000 AK-47 rifles besides critical accessories like bullet-proof jackets and helmets for its security personnel to protect trains and stations.
"We are in the process of acquiring 6,000 fully automatic AK-47 assault rifles from Bulgaria. The payments has been made to Ministry of Home Affairs for the purchase," a senior Railway Ministry official told PTI.
The AK-47 assault rifles... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Violence Survivor Documentary Makes Waves at Indian Film Festival
12 January 2011
Kanglaonline (India)
Social Activist and Film Maker from Manipur State chosen for a national film festival "National Documentary and Short films on Gender" organized by International Centre of Excellence in Youth Development and School of Gender Studies, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Sriperumbudur under the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Govt of India.
A documentary film, "The Story of Manipur Women Gun Survivors" produced by Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network and... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Switzerland,Russia,Norway,Mexico,Japan,Italy,Germany,Austria,Czech Republic,India,China,Canada,Brazil,Australia,United States
How Gun Control Laws Vary in 16 Countries Around the World
10 January 2011
Guardian (UK)
Australia
Ownership is strictly prohibited unless there are "genuine reasons" such as licensed sport, animal control or employment requirements.
Brazil
If you are over 25 and have registered a weapon, you are free to keep it indoors. The country has the second-highest gun-related death rate after the US.
Canada
Significantly stricter than the neighbouring US. To acquire a licence, applicants must undertake a safety course, pass a criminal records check and be... (GunPolicy.org)
Relative 'Insulted' Delhi Gun Owner Firing in the Air, So He Shot, Killed Her
27 December 2010
Times of India
NEW DELHI - In another crime of passion, a commissioning agent has been arrested by southwest district police for allegedly killing his cousin's wife. He reportedly felt "insulted" as she scolded him for firing a firearm during a family function, and shot her point-blank at the temple, said police. The accused, identified as Anil Dagar, has been booked for murder as well as for carrying an illegal firearm.
Dagar allegedly shot his cousin, Sunil Dahiya's wife, Amita on... (GunPolicy.org)
Is India's Gun Violence Spiraling Out of Control? Blog Cites Global Post
21 December 2010
Time (USA) / Newsfeed, Blog
Police in India are reporting a disturbing rise in gun violence across the nation in recent years in tandem with the emergence of a gun-rights organization similar to the NRA, according to a new article from the Global Post.
Surprisingly, India is second only to the U.S. in civilian gun ownership, with approximately 40 million firearms, over 5 million of which are thought to be unlicensed. The difference in gun ownership per capita, however, is significant, with only... (GunPolicy.org)
India's New Gun Obsession 'Makes Charlton Heston Look Like Gandhi'
20 December 2010
Global Post (Boston)
NEW DELHI, India — Three years after two teenage boys allegedly gunned down his 14-year-old son, Abishek, over a playground spat, Gurgaon businessman Rajinder Tyagi is dry-eyed as he describes the boy's senseless murder. A veteran of hundreds of media interviews, he's made himself numb in an endeavor to shield his wife and daughter from the press.
"My son was walking down the stairs," recalls Tyagi, his face set with grim determination. "They shot him from the back.... (GunPolicy.org)