In a crucial development following recent fatal attacks, Chandigarh Police made a significant breakthrough by apprehending two traders possessing a stash of 236 automatic button knives, commonly known as Rampuri knives, on Thursday night.
Identified as Satish Kumar (38) and Parveen Kumar (41), residents of Sector 9 in Panchkula, the arrested individuals were proprietors of departmental stores in Mani Majra, Sector 13, for over a decade.
Authorities disclosed that the brothers, anticipating police intervention, were en route to disposing of the knives at a secluded location when they were intercepted on Thursday night.
Recent violent incidents involving these knives heightened concerns, with two fatal stabbings reported in the past five days. Mukesh, 26, fell victim to a stabbing on January 1 at Vikas Nagar, while 25-year-old Sunil Kumar was attacked by four men in Sector 19 on January
Investigations pointed to the source of one of the knives used in Mukesh’s murder as originating from the arrested traders’ shops. Addressing the issue, DSP (North-East) P Abhinandan stated, “Sale and purchase of button knives are prohibited in Chandigarh. Possession of automatic button knives is unlawful under the Arms Act. The arrested traders face multiple charges under Sections 25, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act.”
Furthermore, he urged shopkeepers and traders to refrain from selling such knives, emphasizing the need to prevent their misuse by anti-social elements. The police are poised to initiate a campaign against traders and shopkeepers involved in the sale of these banned knives. This significant bust echoes a similar operation in July 2022 when Delhi Police seized over 14,000 automatic button knives, resulting in the arrest of five individuals.
