 "Make in India")
If any district has taken Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Make in India’ really seriously, it is this one, but with a difference. Munger district, on the Ganga’s banks, has a formidable reputation for being a hub for illegal gun making.
Munger has a 200-year association with gun making. It is believed the British established this industry here, during the first Anglo-Afghan war. During the first world war, these gunsmiths came into prominence for developing the cartridge gun. After 1947, the government prompted these gunsmiths to set up cooperative factories. However, due to government apathy in arms purchase and policy hassles, most of these factories quickly shut down.
The workers then turned to illegal gun making to meet ends. Earlier, they started with single-shot pistols but have graduated to assembling more complex Western-style pistols and high-in-demand AK-47 rifles. Despite continuous effort from the police and security agencies, this industry has not only kept running but flourished. Sources say there are 300-400 gun making factories, all illegal, active in this area. And, at present, in full swing. The reason is the assembly polls in Bihar and panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh.
Across the district, there are 35 villages where people make a livelihood from this trade. Cutting across the social boundaries of caste and religion, people from every powerful segment are involved. For example, in Bardaha village, Muslims own the factories; Rajputs run these at Bindwarrah. In Shankarpur and Lal Darwaja areas, Yadav criminals dominate the trade.
Most of those involved have found patronage from political parties of various hues. Polls in Bihar and UP have made the business quite lucrative for these people.
However, some are not happy with the hassle which comes with the elections. “Business is not that good these days,” complained a local criminal at Munger, “Due to the close watch of security agencies because of the elections, we have to be on the move constantly. We have to 'manage; the local thannas and policemen, so that we can get timely tips. As soon as we get the tip, we move towards the diara (islets in the Ganga). There also we have to pay the local goons to give us safe heaven. Therefore, we had to revise our rates.”
But, the buyers are not complaining. One such prospective 'client', sitting outside, was talking to his masters about the quality and cheap rates of the guns made here. Around 50 per cent cheaper and will not misfire, says a senior police official.
Single-shot pistols, commonly known as kattas, are most in demand as they are the cheapest. It sells at Rs 2,000 each. A semi-automatic pistol would cost Rs 15,000-20,000 apiece. A carbine is available for Rs 1 lakh and an AK-47 for Rs 1.5-2 lakh.
The state police have recovered 1,200 illegal arms and thousands of rounds of ammunition since the implementation of the poll code of conduct. Most of these are manufactured in this district, concedes a senior police official.
