Madhya Pradesh: Gwalior Chambal is a hub of illegal weapons, challenge for administration for state Assembly polls

There is a big chain of gangs making illegal weapons in the Gwalior Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh and these gangs become very active during elections and become a big challenge for the police.

Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh): Only a few months are left for the state Assembly election to be held. Due to this, various political parties and the administration have started their preparations. But for the police and administration in the Gwalior Chambal region, this upcoming Assembly elections has already become a challenge because every time the polls come, arms smugglers become active and illegal indigenous and English weapons are used in the polls.

Officials admitted that maximum illegal arms smuggling in Madhya Pradesh takes place in this Gwalior Chambal region and smugglers come here from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and smuggle illegal arms worth lakhs of rupees.

They added that there is a big chain of gangs making illegal weapons in the Gwalior Chambal region and these gangs become very active during elections and become a big challenge for the police.

Country's encounter specialist Ashok Singh Bhadoria told ETV Bharat that there are many villages where illegal weapons are made. "Illegal weapon-making gang is present in the villages and various indigenous and English weapons are made. He claimed that during an election, these illegal weapons are used to scare and threaten the voters.

"These weapons come in handy and that's why illegal weapons are the biggest reason for violent incidents during polls. Hence, stopping illegal arms smuggling and sealing factories, that make these weapons, has always been a headache for the police. Police have not been able to cent per cent crack down on these factories," he said.

Another official said that the number of arms licenses available in the Gwalior Chambal region is four times the number of illegal weapons available elsewhere in the state. He claimed that the number of licensed guns in the Gwalior Chambal zone, comprising Gwalior, Morena, Bhind and Datia districts is around one lakh. He further claimed that in the same zone, illegal weapons worth lakhs of rupees are supplied every month during elections.

Recently, officials raided a few arms manufacturing factories in Morena and Gwalior and recovered illegal weapons, including pistols.

Gwalior Senior Superintendent of Police Rajesh Singh Chandel told ETV Bharat that at the time of elections, the gangs of smugglers who manufacture illegal weapons become active and smuggle illegal weapons through the border of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, apart from different districts of the state, including Khargone and Burhanpur.

He added that during elections, different police teams are deployed to stop illegal weapons and the informer system is also activated. "Apart from this, a lot of surveillance is being done in the border states too. Recently, a meeting was held with senior police officers of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in which all issues were discussed," the senior police official added.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress has raised questions regarding the smuggling of illegal weapons. Madhya Pradesh Vice President of Congress RP Singh said that the state government has not yet been able to stop the smuggling of illegal weapons in the Gwalior Chambal region and when elections are held several violent incidents, including murders take place.