Mumbai Police cracks down on owners of unregistered guns after Abhishek Ghosalkar's murder

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After the recent killing of Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar, Mumbai police have increased efforts to verify the licences of individuals who own firearms for personal protection and security, an official said on Sunday.

Lakhmi Gautam, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), told PTI that as part of the crackdown on unauthorised weapons, Crime Branch units 6 and 7 captured three people in the last ten days. According to the report, Gautam said that security staff, including bodyguards hired to protect builders, politicians, and others, are also subject to examination. Those holding licences from other states who use firearms in Mumbai must transfer their licences and provide applicable papers to the city police.

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"Security guards and personal bodyguards hired to protect builders, politicians, etc are under the scanner, and their weapon licences are being verified," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam told the news agency.

The extra vigilance comes after the killing of Abhishek Ghosalkar, son of Shiv Sena UBT leader Vinod Ghosalkar, last month. Mauris Noronha, the assailant, then killed himself with his bodyguard's pistol during a Facebook Live session. Amarendra Mishra, Noronha's bodyguard, was eventually imprisoned under the Arms Act.

Individuals who fail to submit proper information or paperwork about their firearms may face legal prosecution under the Arms Act, an official said adding that flaunting weapons, whether by security guards or personal bodyguards, is banned.

"If a person with a weapon fails to provide sufficient details or documents related to it, he or she will be booked under the Arms Act. It must be noted that people who carry weapons, whether security guards or personal bodyguards, cannot show them off," the official told the news agency.

In recent operations, Crime Branch Unit 7 detained Jamrul Hanif Khan (26) and Mohammad Yasar Mohammad Iqbal (34) in Ghatkopar on February 21 for possession of guns allegedly handed to them by an additional district magistrate in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, for their safety. However, the duo failed to register their weapons with Maharashtra police, resulting in charges under the Arms Act, PTI report stated.

Per the report, one Hanumant Pratap Vishnudatta Pandey (45) was arrested on February 29 in suburban Kurla after being found with a revolver and cartridges. Pandey, who provided independent security services, had not renewed his firearm licence, obtained from Uttar Pradesh, nor transferred it to Maharashtra authorities, leading to legal action.