Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav orders quarterly inspection of all gunhouses

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 18

Close on the heels of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directing a review of all existing arms licences to check the gun culture, the Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, on Friday ordered a mandatory inspection of shops, premises and stocks of all gunhouses on a quarterly basis across the state.

10% licensed weapons

It is noteworthy that while Punjab has only two per cent of India’s population, it has nearly 10 per cent of the total licensed weapons. The count of weapons stands at nearly four lakh. It means there are 13 gun licences for every 1,000 persons in the state.

The DGP issued directions to all ranges IGPs/DIGs and all CPs/SSPs of the state, stating that rule 20.14 of the Punjab Police Rules, 1934, authorises gazetted officers of the police to inspect shops, premises, and stocks of all licensed manufactures and dealers under the Arms Act every quarter.

DGP Gaurav Yadav directed all the CPs/SSPs to ensure that DSPs/ACPs should mandatorily check shops, premises and stocks of all gunhouses falling in their sub divisions every quarter. “Apart from this, the Deputy Superintendent of Police is required to conduct at least one inspection each year,” he added.

There is a huge influx of illegal weapons from across the International Border and the inter-state borders from states like UP, Bihar and MP. Although weapons are illegally procured by anti-social elements, the ammunition is mostly pilfered from gunhouses in Punjab.

Meanwhile, the CPs/SSPs have also been asked to send district-wise quarterly reports to the Armament Branch of the Provisioning Wing, while, all the range IGPS/DIGs have been told to monitor compliance.

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