Hoshiarpur (Punjab), April 10 (Inditop) Punjab Police has sounded a red alert in the state after a number of weapons and a large quantity of ammunition were stolen from a gun store here early Friday morning, officials said.The theft of weapons ahead of parliamentary elections has left police worried.
The stolen weapons included 78 revolvers and two pistols. Several rounds of ammunition were also taken away. Many of these were of expensive foreign make.
The theft was discovered at day-break.
The thieves took away all the weapons kept by the gun house owner outside the strong room of the shop. There were over 200 other weapons inside the strong room but these were found intact, police officials said.
Police officers said that the weapons had gone missing from the Ajit Singh and Sons gun house in a local market here. Some of the weapons were deposited by their owners with the shop to be kept in safe custody.
“The thieves broke into the gun house and took away a number of weapons. The police is investigating the matter,” Hoshiarpur district police chief Pramod Ban told IANS.
Police officers said several people might be involved in the theft.
The theft has come just ahead of parliamentary elections. Lok Sabha polls in Punjab are scheduled for May 7 and 13.
The state Election Commission had last month asked all district authorities to ensure that all licensed weapons were deposited with the nearest police station.