Jalandhar administration cancels 538 arms licences

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 17

Cracking down on the gun culture in the district, Deputy Commissioner Jaspreet Singh on Friday cancelled as many as 538 arms licences in the district.

Telling figures

362 renewals cancelled due to negative police reports

176 cancelled for other reasons

25 licensees had left the country and settled abroad

50 cases where re-verification was negative

101 firearm licences cancelled due to death of licensees

The Deputy Commissioner said as per the orders issued by the state government, the administration had conducted a review of weapon licences issued to individuals following which these licenses have been revoked with immediate effect.

Weapon misuse to attract strict action

No one is allowed to take law and order into their own hands. The District administration will ensure strict action against those found misusing their licensed weapons. Jaspreet Singh, Deputy Commissioner

Of these 538 licences, 362 were suspended during renewal procedure on account of negative police reports, while the remaining 176 cancelled for various reasons. A total of 101 firearms licences were cancelled due to death of license holders. Likewise, in 25 cases, the holders had left the country and settled abroad, he said, adding in 50 cases, police reports were found negative during re-verification procedure.

The Deputy Commissioner said that no one is allowed to take law and order into their own hands, warning that the District Administration would ensure strict action against those found misusing their licensed weapons. He warned that the state government had already banned the public display of weapons. The DC said the District Administration had earlier suspended around 391 licences in November last year, and had issued show-causes notices to licence holders.

He said rules have to be followed for keeping a gun and any kind of violation of these norms would attract strict action as per the law. The DC said since there is a statewide ban on carrying and displaying weapons in public functions, religious places, marriage ceremonies, or any other events, random checking will be done in different areas in the coming days.

Minister Aman Arora recently said the government had cancelled more than 2,000 arms licence. “Rules have to be followed. Now there is a ban on carrying and displaying of weapons in public,” he had said.