LUCKNOW, March 27 -- A comprehensive verification drive into licensed ammunition sales across eastern Uttar Pradesh has uncovered serious irregularities, with police suspecting that a substantial number of cartridges may have been diverted to criminal elements through illegal channels.

The month-long exercise, led by Vaibhav Krishna, deputy inspector general (DIG), Varanasi Range, covered Jaunpur, Ghazipur and Chandauli districts and examined cartridge sales over a two-year period from January 1, 2024 to January 20, 2026. The findings indicate systemic lapses in record-keeping, weak verification processes, and a possible organised diversion of ammunition.

"During the audit, 2,490 cartridges were identified as misused or irregular. Polic...