Chandigarh: The city is witnessing a surge in illegal arms cases, with police registering 134 cases and arresting 160 persons till Sept 15 this year. This surpasses the full-year figures for both 2024 and 2025. Weapon recoveries have also increased, with 49 firearms and 152 live rounds seized so far this year, against 14 firearms and 39 bullets in 2024.The seizures this year include sophisticated weapons such as Glock and Zigana pistols, besides US-made firearms and rifles, pointing to the availability of increasingly lethal weapons in the city.Cases, arrests riseAs per data provided by the UT police department, police registered 77 FIRs under the Arms Act at different police stations and arrested 87 persons in 2024. They also recovered 294 knives, 14 pistols, 39 cartridges and one magazine.In 2025, the number of Arms Act cases rose to 103, and police arrested 120 persons. Recoveries included 33 firearms, 95 bullets and 80 knives.In 2026, police claimed to have arrested 160 people in 134 Arms Act cases till Sept 15. Recovery of weapons also increased significantly this year. Police recovered 49 firearms, including sophisticated pistols such as Zigana and Glock, as well as a US-made rifle. A total of 152 rounds, 13 magazines and 99 knives were also seized from the arrested accused in less than nine months this year.Sophisticated weapons a concernSmuggling of sophisticated weapons such as Glock and Zigana pistols into the city has emerged as a major concern.A Turkish Zigana pistol was used to murder cashier Janki Das at a chemist shop in Sector 11. CCTV footage showed the shooters firing around 12 bullets in just two seconds with a Zigana pistol.Police also seized a Turkish PX5 pistol and a Chinese pistol from the shooters of realtor Chamanpreet Singh alias Chinni Kubaheri. Chinni Kubaheri was shot dead in Sector 9 in March this year.Interrogation of associates of gangsters arrested in murder cases revealed that these sophisticated weapons were allegedly provided to them by their handlers hiding abroad, using drones from Pakistan.However, police said around 90% of the recovered firearms were country-made pistols. The criminals mainly procured them from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, police said.Knives account for bulk of casesPolice officials said the city recorded more incidents of stabbing with knives than firing. More than 100 people have been arrested with long automatic knives.Under the Arms Act, knives with a blade length of under 9 inches and width of under 2 inches do not require a licence.Police arrest people for carrying knives under non-bailable sections of the Arms Act, including Sections 25, 54 and 59. Under Section 25 of the Arms Act, the offence is punishable with imprisonment for a term that shall not be less than three years but may extend to seven years.“Continuous surveillance and round-the-clock nakas have helped us intercept criminals and gangsters, preventing potential targeted attacks and gang rivalries from escalating. These checks have also helped curb incidents of stabbing and other violent crimes,” said SSP UT Kanwardeep Kaur.
