Gun culture: Firearms recovery increased by 37.94% in 2018

New Delhi: Firearms were used in 19 per cent of murder cases in the city last year, reveals Delhi Police data. The investigating agency recovered as many as 1,905 illicit firearms in 2018 and claimed that comparing to 2017, around 37.94 per cent recovery of firearms increased in 2018.

Delhi Police data claimed that in year 2018-752 cases, 2017-848 and 2016-912 cases reported where firearms were used.

"1,905 firearms were recovered last year. In the year 2017--1,381 and in 2016--902 illegal arms recoveries were made," the data added.

In the year 2016- 658 cases, 2017- 957 and 2018- 1540 cases were reported under arms act, data shows. Since 2016 under Arms Act, 3787 persons were arrested whereas under local and special acts, more than 36,000 persons arrested in three years.

In 2018, 1,131 history sheets opened, 120 absent bad characters were traced. 168 criminals carrying rewards and 1,848 proclaimed offenders were also arrested.

"The problem of illicit firearms and their use is becoming worse with every passing year. The reasons why people go in for illegal arms vary from person to person. Though, most who seek illegal arms are petty criminals or those seeking revenge," Delhi Police claimed in their Annual Report 2018.

The issue of supply of illicit arms from Munger in Bihar, Dhar & Khargone in MP and different districts in UP was taken up in the interstate coordination meetings with the representatives of concerned states for directing the concerned local police to take stringent action against those involved in the manufacture of illegal firearms and supplying them to Delhi.

Murder Weapon:

According to Delhi Police data, 477 cases of murder reported last year in which 43 per cent of the killings were done with the sharp-edged weapons whereas in 16 per cent cases, blunt objects were used. "In 14 per cent murder cases, victims were strangled to death whereas kerosene, petrol, other weapons, poison and liquor were also used for the killings," claimed Delhi Police data.

Reasons behind killing:

Enimity and dispute led to 38 per cent of murders in the city. Analysis of motives behind the murders in 2018, revealed that 20.96 per cent of the cases due to sudden provocation or trivial issues while 10.90 per cent were passion related and 10.90 per cent were crime related.

Critical Crimogenic factors in Delhi:

Socio-economic disparities and high influx of migrant population, proximity in the location of colonies of the affluent and the underprivileged, urban anonymity encouraging deviant behaviour, loosening of social structures and family control, demographic complexities, porous border offering easy means to ingress/escape to criminals, megacity life and extended hinterland in the NCR region are the factors behind these crimes.