Gun culture: Psychology behind buying a gun

Posted on February 29, 2008 0 Comments17


In a shocking revelation, TIMES NOW’s Jagori Dhar uncovers mushrooming of gun culture in Bihar and unravels as to how easy it is to procure an arm in Bihar. She visited an undisclosed location near Patna where fire arms were available at throw away prices. The place appeared like any other cowshed, however, on closer look it was unveiled that the undisclosed location was the heart of the gun culture in Bihar. The investigation indicated the fact that gun culture is mushrooming by leaps and bounds and it has become easy to procure a gun.
The cowsheds were located just 30 kilometres away from the city of Patna, where right under the heaps of hay mushroomed a thriving ‘industry’. Investigation revealed that the local arm dealers  offered array of products – right from country made pistols like sixers, 36mm, and Mowger to sophisticated rifles. Ironically, country made pistols are available for a paltry Rs 500, while for the ‘trained’ hand, there are muskets – both single and double barrel — which are sold in the range of Rs 5000 to Rs 8000.


When probed about the booming industry, the arms dealer, who had covered his face to protect his identity, said:”We are running it as an industry. We have our own factories and have equipments there. We keep on changing our locations. We are more resourceful than the police.”
A claim, which should put the state’s authorities to shame, a statement, which undoubtedly demands immediate attention of the law makers to enforce stringent measures to curb the growing menace. However, it doesn’t come as a surprise especially in a state where politicians themselves have openly demonstrated use of guns and have been caught on camera for breaking norms.


A case in point is the RJD Rajya Sabha MP and brother in law of the Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad — Subhash Yadav — who was caught on camera for using the gun openly while celebrating a local festival. While the other brother in law of the respected minister — Sadhu Yadav — reveling at a party held at his residence also openly used the product.Suprisingly, the moot question is from where do these arm dealers get their supplies from. While most of them are locally produced in factories run by local men, the guns are even sourced from anti- nationalist outfits from across the border of Nepal. Ironically, some products are even looted from the police armory.
On the condition on anonymity, the arms dealer said:”We are not scared of the police. We are safe here. We have good customers and everyday we are able to sell arms. Some people take it for self defence, while others buy from here to sell it elsewhere.”


According to the reports, the state of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar top the list with the maximum number of licensed arms. Around 40 million firearms in the country are said to be in civilian possession of which nearly 9,00,000 arms license holders hail from Uttar Pradesh. It is estimated that there are around 1,400 arms dealers in the state of Uttar Pradesh, a state which has an inherent gun culture and has amongst its customers — locals, ganglords, goons, naxals, and even politicians.
 (Published in Times Now on February 26,2008) Watch the Video.

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