NEW DELHI: A 27-year-old teacher-turned-arms dealer, who used to supply weapons in gift-wrapped boxes to buyers, was arrested from Dwarka’s Sector 23 area, police said on Friday.
The accused has been identified as Gulfam, a resident of Badayun in Uttar Pradesh.“On Thursday, police got information that Gulfam would come to Golf Links Road, near Dwarka’s Sector 23, to supply arms to the associates of gangster Nandu. A trap was laid and he was arrested after a brief exchange of fire,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse said.
On checking his bag, a gift-wrapped box was found in which eight country-made pistols and a revolver with 12 live cartridges were kept, the DCP said, adding that the firearms were seized. He told the police that he taught in a school for a few months, but he did not earn as much as he thought he would.
“He came to Delhi first time in August, 2019 and met one person through Kundan to get orders for supply of firearms. He was asked to supply high-quality firearms before Diwali so that criminals can use it to run their writ on Delhi roads. He got Rs 50,000 as advance for the same. He returned to Badayun and briefed Kundan. They planned to supply ammunition but enhanced vigil by police was an obstacle,” the DCP said.
He added that Gulfam came out with the idea of gift-wrapping his ammunition packages so that he could hand them to his clients as Diwali presents.
“He came to Delhi by bus till ISBT and travelled to Dwarka in an auto-rickshaw. He was to meet someone from Nandu group on the roadside. But no one came to meet him, perhaps sensing the intense vigil.
Caught unawares as our team closed in on him, he lost his cool and opened fire. After swift and effective retaliation by our personnel, he was arrested,” the officer said.