Hyderabad: The city police on Saturday night arrested three people who were allegedly trying to sell sharp-edged swords and daggers near New Hills Hotel, Band Lane, Basheerbagh.
After a subsequent inquiry, the police raided a godown of Mahaveer gifts and novelties in Cinthala complex, Siddiamber bazaar, and seized 87 big swords with their sheaths along with eight daggers with their sheaths. The police said that they also seized a two-wheeler and three mobile phones from the possession of the accused.
The accused have been identified as 55-year-old Raj Kumar, 21-year-old Ankit Lal, and 20-year-old Syed Khaleel, who are all in police custody.
According to the police, Raj Kumar, a resident of Attapur, runs a business in the name of Mahaveer gifts and Novelties in Cinthala complex, Siddiamber Bazar. He was reportedly unable to meet profit targets from the last few years in his business.
The police said that Raj Kumar allegedly planned to sell swords and daggers ahead of the wedding and festival season, as there is much demand for those weapons in marriage processions and festival yatras.
Subsequently, he ordered a huge number of swords and daggers from Delhi, in disguise of gifts and novelties, and then stored them in his godown in Chinthala complex, Siddiamber bazaar.
Raj Kumar then employed Ankit Lal to sell swords and daggers in Hyderabad. The illegal trade apparently brought him a good commission. The swords were sold for Rs 1200 to Rs 1500 each, depending on the party.
The third accused, Syed Khaleel, later joined hands with them and started planning to sell the weapons for a higher price. For publicity, Khaleel started posting his pictures holding swords and daggers on his WhatsApp status and also started threatening his local area people and causing them a lot of trouble.
After tracking and apprehending the accused, officials from the Commissioner’s task force, central zone, kept efforts to track him and apprehend him.
Eventually, all the accused were tracked and apprehended on Saturday night near New Hills Hotel, Band lane, Basheerbagh. The police stated in a press note on Sunday that the accused along with the seized material has been handed over to the SHO, Saifabad for further investigation.