In a significant crackdown, the Delhi Police have arrested twelve individuals, including three alleged arms suppliers, after deploying open source intelligence (OSINT) to monitor social media platforms. The operation targeted young men across north and central Delhi who were openly flaunting firearms and weapons in their posts.
How OSINT Led to the Arrests
The police action was spearheaded by a dedicated OSINT team comprising two personnel. This team utilized specialized software to scan social media for accounts repeatedly using flagged words like "katta" (country-made pistol) and "chhaku" (knife). These accounts were then analyzed for patterns of suspicious activity.
Following the digital trail, the team prepared detailed profiles of the suspects along with their IP addresses. This intelligence was passed on to district crack teams. These teams then conducted local verification, reconnaissance, and finally carried out raids at the suspects' residences, leading to the seizures and arrests.
The Arrested and the Disturbing Social Media Trend
Those arrested in the north Delhi operations have been identified as Amit Singh (23), Gaurav Thapa (18), Vishal Gupta (18), Rohit (23), Kartik Rajput (19), and Sujal (22). Their alleged suppliers, Arun alias Pradhan (22), Abhishek (25), and Mayank Rajput (22), were also taken into custody.
In the central district, the police apprehended Yug (21), Tanish (19), and Raj (20). Additionally, Manish alias Chaman (30) was nabbed, with two live cartridges recovered from him. Police confirmed that cases under the Arms Act have been registered against all the accused. Some minors were also apprehended but were later released.
A look at the social media profiles of the accused revealed a deeply concerning trend of glorifying weapons. For instance, Gaurav Thapa from Timarpur's Sanjay Basti had posted a video of himself posing with a gun set to an upbeat track titled "Devil," accompanied by a ninja emoticon. Another story showed a dragon knife next to alcohol with a filter stating "I don't care."
Similarly, Rohit from Wazirabad had posted a collage with cartridges and a gun alongside a song called "Yamraj." A highlight on his profile titled "criminal" featured images of him holding a gun to his head, with cigarettes and alcohol placed next to the weapon.
The Policing Philosophy Behind the Action
Explaining the rationale for the operation, Joint Commissioner of Police (central range) Madhur Verma linked it to preventive policing and the Broken Windows Theory. This theory suggests that visible signs of disorder, like weapon displays on social media, can encourage more serious crime.
"The action is rooted in preventive policing and the Broken Windows Theory, stressing that weapon displays on social media are often the first step towards crimes like celebratory firing, robbery, or extortion," Verma stated. The operation aimed to nip potential criminal behavior in the bud by addressing the early, visible signs of weapon glorification online.
