Used bullets-fetch good money for slum kids

Used bullets from police firing range fetch good money for slum kids

The police junk it as trash. Urchins make a fortune out of it.

Bullets shot from the police firing range during practice sessions are scavenged by children from nearby slums. The metal pellets that land in Powai are sold by the children to scrap dealers. Two stray bullets from a pierced a parked car and hit a wall in Powai on February 23.

Children from nearby slums in Parksite vicinity lie in wait during practice shooting sessions. Bullets that miss the target or those that pass through the bull's eye fly to nearby areas. These bullets are collected by the children.

"I collect bullets lying on the road and sell them as scrap," said Anil Kharat (name changed as he is a minor). "I picked this up from my friends."

The boy said he makes quite a good amount as pocket money by selling the used bullets.

Another boy in the locality, a seasoned hand at selling bullets, now hawks knick-knacks in local trains.

While scrap dealers purchase the smaller bullets for Rs 5, the bigger ones fetch twice as much.

"The boys may be earning money, but the bullets so far never injured anybody," said senior police inspector Somnath Ghughe of Parksite police station.

A police source admitted they were aware of the sale of used bullets. "But it is not a crime as the bullets are of no use after being fired."