Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 13: In a significant breakthrough, Indian security forces have arrested notorious arms supplier Salim Pistol, delivering a severe blow to the growing gangster-terror network operating across India.
Salim Pistol, whose real name is Sheikh Salim, was apprehended in Nepal and brought to Delhi through a coordinated operation involving the Delhi Police Special Cell, Indian intelligence agencies, and Nepal police.
Known as a key link between gangsters and international terror networks, Salim has long been on the radar for supplying sophisticated arms to gangs across Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Delhi. His arrest comes as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) intensifies its probe into the evolving nexus between gangland operatives and foreign-backed terror outfits.
Operated Under ISI, Dawood’s Network
According to intelligence sources, Salim had strong ties to Pakistan’s ISI and operated under the command of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. He was a major channel for smuggling arms from Pakistan into India, using both drone drops in Punjab and cross-border smuggling through Nepal.
He reportedly played a major role in supplying Zigana pistols—Turkish-made firearms favored for gang wars and targeted killings. These pistols, smuggled from Pakistan, sell for ?4–6 lakh each in the black market. Once inside India, the weapons were hidden in modified vehicle compartments and reassembled by gang members.
Link to Bishnoi Gang, Moosewala Murder
Salim’s name has surfaced in multiple high-profile criminal cases. He is believed to be a key arms supplier to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and an advisor to the shooters involved in Sidhu Moosewala’s murder.
He is also being probed for links to the murder of Maharashtra politician Baba Siddiqui and is expected to be thoroughly interrogated for leads in various gang and terror cases.
Web of Terror: Canada, Pakistan, and Khalistani Links
The NIA believes that the gangster networks Salim supplied are part of a broader transnational terror plot. Many of these groups are directed from Pakistan and Canada, with overlapping connections to Khalistani separatist outfits.
Salim’s interrogation is expected to yield critical information about the gangster-terror-Khalistan nexus, including operational methods, clients, and international handlers.
A Long Path to Infamy
Salim hails from Jafrabad in Delhi and dropped out of school after Class 8. He initially worked as a driver before diving into petty crime and eventually the illegal arms trade. In 2020, he was arrested in a car theft case but returned to crime after securing bail.
As the NIA deepens its investigation, officials believe that dismantling Salim’s network will be a crucial step in curbing trans-border arms smuggling and weakening the terror infrastructure being nurtured within India's borders.