Over 34,000 firearm licences issued in Punjab since 2019, govt tells HC

CHANDIGARH: : A report submitted in the Punjab and Haryana high court has revealed that 34,768 weapon licences were granted by the state government in five years.

An affidavit filed by director general of police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav has revealed that out of these 32,303 licences were issued for self-defence.

The data has been given in proceedings of an anticipatory bail matter of a Fazilka resident, who was in court seeking bail in an alleged case of firing. The court, while seeking data on firearms, had observed that on a daily basis, the number of cases are being countered by the court, wherein persons are carrying firearms openly and inflicting injuries on others.

As per the affidavit across the state, 32,303 licenses were given for self-defence, 77 for protection of crops, 1,536 on applications from those with business interests in other states, 95 for threat from gangsters and anti-social elements

and 727 for other reasons.

As per the DGP in November 2022, the government had ordered a review of all firearms licenses, a complete ban on the public display of weapons and a ban on songs promoting gun culture etc.

The DGP says pursuant to November 2022 instructions, as many as 189 FIRS were registered for violation of directions/ instruction to ban the use of display of firearms and other related offences.

The report does not give details of arms licences given till 2019 but data given shows that the highest number of licences given in this period was in Gurdaspur, with 4,928 licences, followed by 2,860 in Bathinda and 2,242 licences in Amritsar Police Commissionerate.

The lowest number of licences given is in SBS Nagar at 229 each and Fatehgarh Sahib and 278 in Malerkotla. The state has been divided into 28 units comprising districts, commissionrates of police and other smaller units. There are only 13 units where number of licenses given is below 1,000.