10 booked for flashing arms on social media

Police spokesperson said cases were registered at Majitha, Beas and Ajnala

AMRITSAR : Police have booked 10 persons, including two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers, for allegedly glorifying weapons on social media.

The state government had on November 13 issued orders clamping down on gun culture and violence, as it tightened regulation after facing flak from the opposition over the law and order situation in the backdrop of targeted killings in Amritsar and Faridkot.

A police spokesperson said three cases each were registered at the Khalchian police station and Majitha police station while two cases were registered at the Beas police station and one case each at Tarsikka and Ajnala police stations. He said cases have been registered against persons who uploaded pictures or videos with weapons on social media.

Those booked have been identified as Gurpreet Singh and Harpeeet Singh of Othian village in Ajnala sub-division. Gurpreet and Harpreet are said to be workers of the ruling party. Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, however, said they were not the party workers and he himself had given direction to take action after their videos glorifying weapons had surfaced.

Clarifying about his picture with one of the accused, the minister said he had gone to Othian village for a development work when the picture was taken. The accused was among around 200 people who had clicked pictures there, he said. Deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Attari, Sanjeev Kumar said the case was registered under Sections 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others) and various Sections of the IT Act and the Arms Act.

Couple booked for flaunting guns

JALANDHAR: The Jalandhar commissionerate police on Wednesday booked a couple for allegedly promoting gun culture on social media. The couple has been identified as Roop Kaur and Sehaj Arora, who were famous for running the ‘Kulhad Pizza’ an eating joint in Jalandhar.

The couple told the police that they were holding toy guns. While they were released on bail, the police are investigating their claim.

Police said that even brandishing toy guns is a gesture of promoting gun culture and thus the couple was booked under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police said that one more youth from Dashmesh Avenue was booked for posing with a pistol on his social media account.

The state government had also recently ordered a review of the licences within three months. On the directions of chief minister Bhagwant Mann, police have started an extensive drive for verification of licensed arms. It has been observed that many weapons have been issued on fake addresses,” DGP Gaurav Yadav had said in a video message. He added that all such licences would be cancelled.

The Jalandhar and Patiala administrations have already cancelled 391 and 274 arms licences, respectively.