Threats, dismissals, drug trafficking, extortions and high-profile murders. Lawrence Bishnoi’s list of crimes is long, but authorities have never accused him of selling guns online. However, social media platforms are flooded with promises of arms delivery in their name across India.
A simple search on Facebook for terms like ‘buy guns’ or ‘Indian gun shop’ and ‘desi katta’ generates hundreds of social media posts, which also include WhatsApp numbers for easy contact and home delivery.
India Today’s open source intelligence (OSINT) team found over 50 Facebook groups, 12 YouTube groups, 20 Telegram channels and 10 Instagram accounts claiming to sell weapons like 9MM, Desi Katta and AK-47.
Are guns really sold online?
To verify the authenticity of these posts, an undercover reporter from India Today’s Special Investigation Team contacted some of the advertisers. At the beginning of our conversation, he demanded an amount as low as Rs 300 on various pretexts such as registration or transportation.
However, our journalist requested to meet with the traffickers, whose language and tone seemed strangely childish. ‘You three hundred three hundred… how much is… deposit it?’ I’m inserting the scanner. He told our journalist: “I am going to send 50 bullets and 4 additional magazines.”
Another dealer also took the same approach and stopped contacting when nominal charges were not paid. Requests to meet in person were ignored and the trader repeatedly insisted on depositing Rs 300.
Another hallmark of these amateur acts is the frequent use of images on WhatsApp showing foreign-made firearms along with weapons confiscated by police during extortion, to show a wide arsenal of weapons.
There is a social media channel in the name of Lawrence Bishnoi, which refers to the student organization of Panjab University, where Lawrence was a political leader. There were 1,565 members of that organization. And records of weapons sales transactions between two users were shown.
Another Facebook group with 4,500 members is full of posts about nationalism, as well as content that glorifies and celebrates criminals such as gangsters Neeraj Bawana, Lawrence Bishnoi and Durbh Kashyap.
Amid the salacious edits glorifying these gangsters, the group also has around 50 posts advertising guns for sale, often accompanied by a WhatsApp number to contact. There are also groups dedicated solely to the sale of firearms.
When contacted by phone, almost all of them demanded registration fees, insisting on “paying the money first”, while requests for a face-to-face meeting were ignored. This strategy usually indicates a scam intended to extract quick money.
gun culture
Today the illegal arms trade is a big problem. From the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala in Punjab to the murder of Baba Siddiqui in Mumbai, illegal weapons fuel the growing gun culture in India. Equally dangerous, if not more so, is the growing content on social media platforms that glorifies violence and celebrates gangsters.
For example, gangster Davinder Bambiha is no longer in this world. But an Instagram account in his name frequently shares videos showing firearms, often demonstrating their use. Bambiha, who ran an extortion gang in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, was murdered in a police encounter in 2016. Despite her death, she has achieved cult status, with an online presence maintained by her associates or fans.
Popularity of information related to firearms.
‘Shivam Vlogpur’, a YouTube account with over 3.83 lakh subscribers, mainly has content on cricket bats and weapons. Videos featuring cricket bats and related shops typically get 9,000 to 10,000 views, while videos featuring 9mm pistols, rifles and other firearms get much higher views, ranging from 5 lakh to 55 lakh. His vlog shows him visiting gun sellers in Meerut, which has also been the center of discussion about gun culture in northern India.
Another channel ‘Ashwin Singh Takiyar’, which has around 554,000 subscribers, mainly shows content on automobiles and road trips. However, one of his most popular videos, titled ‘I’m Buying a Shotgun, Gunhouse Tour’, has received 2.3 million views. In this video, the creator mentions, “I bought a revolver and made a video that received a lot of love… It made me realize that there is a huge audience of gun lovers in India.” So, this video is for gun lovers. He also expresses his desire to promote “gun-saving culture.”
Violation of guidelines?
YouTube guidelines allow showing collections of firearms or testing them at shooting ranges, but strictly prohibit content intended for the sale of firearms. Its rules say: ‘Content intended to sell firearms, instruct viewers on how to manufacture firearms, ammunition, and certain accessories, or instruct viewers on how to install those accessories’ YouTube But it is not allowed.
Similarly, Facebook prohibits the purchase, sale or exchange of firearms between individuals, but allows firearms brands and retailers. Still, scammers usually find a way.
For example, a new account created under the name ‘Kapil Kumar’ shows a profile photo of a man holding a gun along with an advertisement saying ‘All India Delivery 9 MM Pistol’ and a phone number. The man also started a Telegram group, where several photographs of guns, pistols and cartridges were shared, all accompanied by captions instructing potential buyers to contact him via WhatsApp.
Similarly, another Telegram account, ‘Gun Seller Indian Shop, lists 9mm automatic pistols, calibers and gun accessories, including silencers and cartridges. As the photos show, the firearms appear to be primarily foreign made, including names like Smith & Wesson and the 357 Magnum from Georgia, USA. The account indicates its primary delivery base is the USA, required preparation time in advance and only accepts payments via CashApp or Bitcoin.
(With inputs from Abhishek Kumar)
