Small arms a fad for youths, say police

KATHMANDU, MAY 19 -
A police probe has revealed that most Capital-based criminals,
small-time gangsters and even youngsters possess small arms to commit
crimes and create terror in society. Police said some youths even carry
weapons as a fashion, being largely influenced by violent movies and the
‘growing gun culture’.

“Some youngsters tote weapons just to depict themselves as
adventurous,” said Superintendent of Police Ramesh Kharel, in-charge of
Metropolitan Police Range (MPR) Hanumandhoka.

Police were surprised when a teenage student opened fire at his friend
over a minor dispute in Koteshwor on May 2. Police say the Koteshwor
shooting is a case in point how young students are taking to violence at
the drop of a hat. It also shows how youngsters are falling prey to the
gun culture.

Police investigation had earlier disclosed that most of the notorious
gangsters and their associates possess  weapons. For example, gangster
Deepak Manange’s brother Ajay Gurung opened fire at his own business
partner Chhiring Gurung over a minor issue on April 27.

Police suspect that more people might be buying small arms as it has
become easy to acquire arms in the Capital as well as other parts of the
country. Investigators say small arms are available for Rs. 15,000 to
25,000 in the local market.

SP Kharel said small arms are brought in from India through the open
border while some are even made in the Tarai. Police believe there are
organised rackets involved in supplying small arms in the Capital.
Police also admit that they have largely failed to nab the kingpins. “It
is difficult to trace small arms as criminals can easily conceal these
while on the move,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Rana Bahadur
Chand, in-charge of the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD).

As part of the police crackdown, a few small arms have been confiscated
recently in the Capital. On Tuesday, police seized a semi-automatic
US-made pistol and three bullets from a gang of three – 23-year-old
Deepak Tamang, 19-year-old Swastik Kumar Shrestha and 19-year-old Sagun
Lama — who were arrested while buying and selling weapons in Manamainju
area.

Police seized an Italy-made automatic pistol and five bullets from two
youngsters, 24-year-old Sabin Lama and 23-year-old Pawan Tamang, in
Gothatar area. According to SSP Chand, Lama had bought the pistol for Rs. 20,000 from one Subas Lama.

Earlier on Sunday, police busted an armed gang of four persons —
Santosh Bahadur Lama, Mani Lama, Atma Ram Lama and Shyam Rai —all of them hailing from Dhanusha. Police also impounded two home-made pistols and a bullet from their
possession while they were travelling to the Capital by bus.

http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/05/19/capital/small-arms-a-fad-for-youths-say-police/314615/