Maoists procuring arms from across borders: Chidambaram - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said Maoists were procuring arms from bazaars across India's border. Briefing the media after a Cabinet meeting, Chidambaram said the Naxals and other ultras clandestinely smuggle weapons using India's open borders with Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. "There are bazaars across the border. You can always get arms from there. Where do you think northeast rebels are getting the arms from," he said. "There are several places across the border where you can buy arms. You can Google check... You should visit these places if you have not," Chidambaram added. Apart from procuring arms from illegal ways, Naxals have weapons those looted from security forces, and they also manufacture (country) weapons locally. Earlier, Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai had said the rebels were getting arms from illegal weapons markets in China, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Of the estimated 75 million illegal small arms worldwide, India accounts for over half, ie, 40 million pieces. An equal number are being manufactured in the illegal factories in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The bulk of illegal arms are not in conflict areas like Jammu and Kashmir, but in the Northeast. The underworld in Central India, Naxalites in the Red Corridor major end-users of illegal arms. According to a report, the bulk of illegal arms are made in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, UP, Jharkhand, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh makes its way to the underworld, the dacoits and the Naxalites.