Six private security guards held in Rajkot for keeping illegal arms

Six private security guards hailing from UP were arrested by the Special Operation Group (SOG) in Rajkot early Thursday morning for allegedly possessing 14 rifles and 48 cartridges allegedly on forged licences.
They were held after SOG conducted an operation to verify weapon licences of private security guards.
Those arrested were identified as Rustomsingh Balvirsinh, Vishnudev Yadav, Shailendrasingh Chauhan, Birensingh Tomar, Rajpalsingh Ramavat and Umeshsingh Chauhan.
SOG seized three rifles and 15 live cartridges from Rustomsingh, two from Shailendrasingh, and one each from Vishnudev, Birensingh, Rajpalsingh and Umeshsingh.
Following the operation, two others identified as Vinodsingh Shivratansingh and Premchand Ramswarupsingh managed to escape. However, the SOG seized five rifles from their residences in the city.
"The arrests were made after we got verification from district magistrates of Mainpuri and Kanpur districts in UP that they did not issue the said licences," said SOG police inspector Jaydipsinh Sarvaiya.
"The licences of these guards were originally issued in the name of other persons in UP and were valid for that state only. The guards used the original licences to forge permits valid in the entire country on the basis of which they purchased arms," said SOG sub-inspector Bhagirathsinh Gohil who carried out the drive.
During interrogation, the guards told the police they had procured the licences from Ramvirsingh Rajput, a resident of Fadalpur village of Mainpuri district in UP, to secure better paying jobs.
However, Rajput is yet to be apprehended.
These guards were hired by three prominent private security agencies in the city, which are also under the scanner, city police commissioner Harjeshwar Singh said.
"The guards did not inform local police of their arms and licences as required by law. The security agencies hired them without verifying if the guards had completed this formality. We are making cases against the agencies and would seek suspension of their licences," Singh said

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/six-private-security-guards-held-in-rajkot-for-keeping-illegal-arms/1126186/