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A look at the mechanics of rising gun culture
Published on Tue, Oct 30, 2007 at 01:00, Updated on Tue, Oct 30, 2007 at 13:07 in 
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New Delhi: On October 25, 2007 two businessmen were shot dead by unidentified attackers at Mansarovar Park in Delhi. Then on October 18, a 30-year-old woman was shot dead by a young man in Ashok Vihar.
In Delhi's chronicles of crime, guns play a centracl role. And many of them are illegal.
In 2005, more than 34 people were shot dead by firearms, 22 of the weapons used were unlicensed.
Delhi's gun licensing authority issues around five licenses every day. Eight hundred and fifty licenses were given out last year, considerably less than previous years, and police say the fall is due to an increased sense of security in the Capital.
But in the black market, the demand and supply are very much around. If you know the right people, you can get the most sophisticated firearms at throw away prices. In areas in Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Etah and Bareilly, country-made guns have almost become a cottage industry.
A Webley Scott revolver, which costs Rs 2 lakh over the counter, can be picked up on the sly for just Rs 15,000. A country made pistol, an extremely popular weapon, can be bought for anything between Rs 250 and Rs 1500.And if you try hard enough, you can even get yourself an authentic AK-47 for as little as Rs 75,000.
Many of these weapons come into India from neighbouring countries.
“India is getting weapons from Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, to some extent via J&K. all the routes are exploited,” said Former DGP, UP, Prakash Singh.
Cracks in the defence and police ranks give a further boost to the illegal arms trade. There may be fewer licenses being handed out, but Delhi's gun culture isn't dead, it's just become unlicensed.
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