Amid tight vigil under stepped-up security by the Delhi Police ahead of Republic-Day celebrations, with the arrested of three of its members, the force’s Special Cell has busted a Madhya Pradesh-based arms syndicate arms syndicate active in the national capital.

A cache of firearms, including semi-automatic pistols, were recovered from the possession of the three arrested members of the arms syndicate identified as Pushpendra Singh, Naeem, and Manish Bhati, who were natives of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. They disclosed that the consignment of illegal firearms was to be delivered at Hapur (UP) and Shaheen Bagh in Delhi.

After the disclosure, the police are investigating the forward and backward linkages of the accused.

According to the police, the three men procured arms from Sendhwa, Khargone, Dhar, and other districts of Madhya Pradesh. Pushpendra Singh, who is a key member of the group, was supposed to arrive in Delhi to deliver the weapons to his associates on January 7.

On his arrival, a raiding party spotted Singh near Kalindi Kunj Road, Okhla on January 7. Soon after he handed the consignment to Naeem and Manish Bhati, all the three were intercepted and asked to surrender. They tried to flee but the police party overpowered them and recovered six sophisticated pistols from Pushpendra Singh and four pistols from Naeem and two semi-automatic pistols from Manish Bhati.

A case under relevant sections of law was registered against them in this regard.

During interrogation, the trio revealed that they used to purchase a semi-automatic pistol for Rs 9,000 to 12,000 from MP and sell it for Rs 20,000 to 30,000 to gangsters and criminals in Delhi/NCR and UP (West).

According to a senior police official, the accused are being questioned further and efforts are on to identify and arrest the remaining members of this arms syndicate are being made.

A police official informed that a special drive has been launched by the Special Cell against the supply and circulation of firearms in the national capital.

Meanwhile on Thursday, during the intensive picketing around the New Delhi area, 45 live rounds of ammunition were recovered from a man identified as Ehit Sham UL, who was driving around in a SUV at 1.30 am and failed to produce valid documents with regard to the cartridges, and accordingly a case was registered while police are probing the matter.