The group, from whom police extracted three pistols and 36 rounds of ammunition, has named some political leaders and cadres of student and youth wings as their clients, investigation officers tell myrepublica.com. [break]
The group is said to have mentioned the names of political individuals who allegedly pulled pistols during the Free Students Union elections and recent student scuffles.
"We know the political individuals possessing illegal arms in good numbers. But this is the first time that a suppliers´ group has made such claims," officers say.
Metropolitan Police had arrested four persons including an Indian national, in possession of arms and ammunition, from the underground parking of Kathmandu Mall. "They were about to negotiate a deal when we busted them," an officer said. "It seems they chose the secluded place for their transaction."
Members of the gang - Indian national Sanjay Raut, Bishwa Nath Mahato (Mahottari), Kamal Adhikari (Nawalparasi) and Arbin Raut (Sarlahi)--had apparently been engaged in the scrap business.
This is the second time over four months that police have busted arm suppliers in the capital. The Tinku Singh group, which was arrested with two SMGs, one silencer pistol and three branded pistols on March 17, 2009, was allegedly involved in dispatching arms from India to Nepal. Police then described the seizure of lethal weapons as a timely crackdown on a dreadful design against the political or diplomatic community. Tinku Singh was even described as an associate of the internationally most-wanted Indian, Chote Rajan.
Police officers say the latter racket is found to have been active in the capital since the time racketeering in red sandalwood became rife. "They, basically, sold weapons to groups that moved sandalwood through the Valley," a senior investigation official said.
"The group seems to have been supplying weapons to several types of clients for five years. We are looking at the linkages and will then take action," said Navaraj Silwal, Chief of Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu.
Silwal admits that the group´s ties to seemingly non-criminal individuals show a need for a new approach to law and order concerns and says it is too early to offer further elaborations.
That political individuals possess illegal weapons is no longer a matter of mere suspicion among security agencies. Last year, a leader of the Sadbhawana Party (Anandidevi), Bikash Kumar Tiwari, was arrested with a pistol but was awarded bail by the District Administration Office, Kathmandu. Similarly, Ain Bahadur Magar, Valley in-charge of UML-affiliated Youth Force, is now in detention for allegedly opening fire at Tri-Chandra College last month.
Records for the last two fiscal years show the pervasive use of small arms in the country. Over fiscal year 2064/65, some 125 arms were confiscated from different individuals or groups. Fiscal year 2065/66 saw an increase to more than 150. The first half of 2009 saw the seizure of 18 arms in the capital alone.
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