AURANGABAD: Days after communal riots erupted in central Maharashtra’s Aurangabad town, police’s Crime Branch on Tuesday discovered huge cache of weapons from violence-hit town that were allegedly ordered through Flipkart’s online website.
According to reports, police recovered a consignment of over two dozen weapons from Mukundwadi and Nageshwarwadi in the city and nabbed seven persons, including the manager of a courier company.
Investigations revealed that the arms were booked through Flikpart and were delivered from Punjab’s Amritsar, through courier company, Estacort Services Pvt. Ltd, reported IANS.
As many as 30 weapons including 12 swords and 16 knives, choppers, kukris, guptis, etc, were seized that were booked under the categories of ‘toy swords’ and ‘kitchen appliances’ through the popular online.
Citing Police Department, The Indian Express reported that order for most of the consignments was purportedly placed four days after the town witnessed communal riots on May 11 and 12.
“We are exploring all legal options for booking Flipkart for providing and transporting, knowingly or unknowingly, such dangerous material,” Assistant Director General of Police (Law and Order) Bipin Bihari told The Indian Express. “Today, they managed to buy choppers and knives, tomorrow it could be drugs or explosives or any other hazardous material. A line has to be drawn somewhere and responsibility needs to be fixed so that e-commerce portals take precautions.”
The communal clashes between groups of two communities in May killed two Muslims in police firing leaving more than 60 people injured.
Congress’ Maharashtra leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil on Wednesday called for banning Flipkart as it was found to be the source of purchase for arms, IANS reported. “It is shocking that such arms are now being openly traded online,” said Vikhe-Patil.