Lucknow: In a major cause of concern for security agencies, gangs operated by women are involved in smuggling pistols and automatic weapons in several states including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Uttar Pradesh ATS Chief Neelabhja Chaudhary, during the press conference on Wednesday, revealed what arms smuggler Ankit Chauhan alias Krishna Thakur, who was arrested on December 5 in Agra, told the police.
Police recovered a 12 bore pump action gun and 260 cartridges from Chauhan. He was going to Jodhpur (Rajasthan) to supply pump action guns and cartridges. Many fake arms licenses printed at a press were recovered from him.
Lady smugglers supplying weapons to many states
During interrogation, Chauhan revealed that his gang is operated by women and the key member is a 45-year-old lady smuggler named Pinky, who was arrested in Madhya Pradesh Burhanpur on November 9. Pinky was arrested while attempting to smuggle four country-made pistols.
Her responsibility, as per Chauhan, was to smuggle country-made, semi-automatic and automatic weapons to different parts of the country including Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Took advantage of being a woman
During interrogation, Chauhan told police that women smugglers get the tasks done easily as no one doubts them. According to the ATS Chief, apart from Pinky, there are many other women in the gang who are involved in arms smuggling.
The ATS chief said Chauhan's phone had vital information such names and addresses of the women members of the gang, people from whom the arms were bought and to whom they are sold.
"A special team is scanning the mobile phone. A list of people who buy weapons from such gangs is being made. It is suspected some of them might have connections with terrorist organizations," the officer said.
