Gun and the City: Delhi leads spike in unlicensed arms across the country

Police data shows the number of illegal firearms confiscated in the Capital has doubled in just one year from 2017 to 2018

The visuals of the riots in North East Delhi made it clear guns are all over the place in the city. Most of those killed in the violence succumbed to gunshot wounds. It was also clear the weapons used were largely unlicensed. 

Data, even if tangential, shows there is reason to be scared. Police data on the seizure of guns made every year shows the number of illegal firearms confiscated in the city has doubled in just one year from 2017 to 2018. As the table shows, Delhi Police seized 1,025 unlicensed arms in 2017. It was 2,057 in 2018.