Illegal guns find ready buyers during elections. (AFP)

Banudha (Munger), Feb. 13: The elections are on and residents of Banudha village are ?contributing? as usual to the democratic exercise ? by making illegal firearms.

Guns and Munger have a long association. During World War I, Munger town was a major supplier of weapons, including cannons. The British government initially banned the manufacture of firearms, as it was mostly unlicensed, only to revive it in 1879 under the new Arms Act.

Then collector of Munger had highly appreciated the craftsmanship of local gunsmiths and allowed the industry to flourish. After Independence, the Indian government brought the scattered manufacturing units under a single umbrella and set up what is today known as the Munger gun factory.

The factory is still there, but it pales in comparison with the flourishing illegal gun-making industry. Labour is not a problem for owners of the illegal units as poor villagers like Rashmi Khatun and Vinod Yadav of Banudhi are always there to keep the wheels of the trade rolling.

According to a survey conducted by a local voluntary organisation, more than 75,000 people from about 46 per cent villages of the district are involved in the business of making illegal firearms.

A visit to Banudha, about 10 km from the district headquarters, gives a clear picture of what keeps villagers busy during an election. Groups of villagers, including women and children, work tirelessly to meet the poll-time ?requirements?.

?I get Rs 50 for eight hours of work and my job is to collect coal for the fireplace, which is essential for the manufacture of arms. My two little sons engage in small jobs like collecting water and get Rs 25 every day for their efforts,? says Rohila Begum, a villager.

Some village residents, while initially refusing to to speak, later revealed that they used to work at the gun factory. ?We had to face hard times as the factory gradually turned sick. The situation became worse after we retired,? says a villager.

Arms made here find buyers not only in Bihar but also outside the state. Often, mediators play an important role in the sale of arms. ?We have come from Uttar Pradesh to buy firearms. The supply is not a problem?we have our ?courier? agents who will deliver the consignments on time. They have taken Rs 10,000 for the job,? says Jaiprakash Singh, who has come with his associate Ravinder in search of arms. The duo has put up at a hotel in neighbouring Lakhisarai district.

The system works like a well-oiled machine and it is difficult for police to go its roots. ?Buying arms is not a problem?you just have to locate the agents. Even if the police arrest a person in connection with an arms deal, it will be very difficult for them to find out who all are involved in the business,? says a youth from Dhanbad, who frequently visits Munger to buy arms.

?The agents get their commission after finalising a deal,? says a local youth, Md Hanif.

The local gunsmiths specialise in small but highly effective firearms, including revolvers. The attractive prices ? Rs 2,500-6,000 for revolvers and Rs 4,000-15,000 for standard guns ? help find a lot of buyers.

Senior police officials here admit that the system works like a cottage industry. According to an officer in Jamalpur town, the authorities earlier used to conduct raids during polls but have not taken a similar step this time for ?unknown? reasons.