The Delhi Police’s Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit has claimed to have unearthed a module involved in the sale of illegal firearms through social media platforms, including Facebook. The module’s mastermind, who hails from Rajasthan, has been arrested and efforts are on to apprehend others.
As per reports, the arrestee has been identified as Hitesh Singh Thakur alias Langda, a 38-year-old resident of Rajasthan’s Jodhpur. Thakur, who has at least 11 cases against him, supplied firearms to criminals. He has links with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Investigations have also disclosed his links in Pakistan. Moreover, it has come to light that he cheated several first-timers who contacted him on Facebook.
The IFSO, while monitoring social media platforms, came across a number of posts and video clips offering sale of weapons on Facebook. The pictures and video clips of weapons and ammunition were displayed. After gangster Bishnoi’s name was noticed, a case was lodged and a team was constituted to conduct investigations.
The investigators zeroed in on Hitesh who had another profile in Hirpal Singh’s name. “Through technical surveillance and human intelligence, the active profiles of Hirpal Singh were identified. A deal was struck on Facebook and communication was undertaken on various social media platforms. During communication, videos of weapons were shared by Hirpal and the advance money was deposited in the bank account provided by him,” the report quoted DCP KPS Malhotra as saying.
After this, a trap was set up and Thakur was nabbed from Haryana’s Manesar when he arrived to collect the remaining money. Thakur, a habitual offender who was earlier lodged in various prisons in Rajasthan, made connections with criminals while he was an undertrial. He entered the world of crime in 2010. He and his friend executed a burglary. After being released from prison he began stealing bikes. Later, he came in contact with a dacoit, identified as Dhan Singh Peeproli, in jail. Thereafter, he began working for Peeproli.