Following Bhagwant Mann’s directive to review all existing arms licenses to ensure gun culture is controlled, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav ordered on Friday that all gun houses across the state be inspected on a quarterly basis for shops, premises, and stocks.
All range IGs/DIGs and all CPs/SSPs of the state were instructed by the DGP to inspect shops, premises, and stocks of licensed manufacturers and dealers under the Arms Act every quarter under rule 20.14 of Punjab Police Rules, 1934.
CPs/SSPs should ensure that all gun houses within their sub divisions have their DSPs/ACPs checking their shops, premises, and stocks every quarter, in accordance with DGP Gaurav Yadav’s instructions. In addition, every year, the District Superintendent of Police must conduct at least one inspection.
Despite Punjab having only 2 percent of India’s population, it has nearly 10 percent of its total licensed weapons, totaling nearly 4 lakh, or 13 licenses per 1000 people.
UP, Bihar, and MP export a large amount of illegal weapons across the international border and the interstate border. Ammunition, however, is mostly pilfered from local gun houses of Punjab even though the weapons are illegally procured by antisocial elements.
CPs/SSPs will also be required to submit quarterly reports to the Provisioning Wing’s Armament Branch, while Range IGPS/DIGs will monitor compliance.