Hindustan Times: Sangrur:
Sunday, April 20, 2014.
Everyday two
to three new guns are being purchased by people of the district, thanks to the
lackadaisical behaviour of the district administration in verification.
The fact came
to light in response to an application filed under the Right to Information
(RTI) act 2005, in which the district administration has informed that on an
average 700 arm licences are issued by the district administration every year.
As per information,
despite strict instruction for the issue of arms licence by the state
government, 739 arms licences were issued by the district administration in
2013, which was 105 more than 2012.
However, the
Sangrur administration had issued 708 arms licences in 2011, but the number was
highest in 2010, when 1,044 arms licence were issued for the purchase of arms.
As per
details, nearly 18,000 persons own arms in the district, out of which only
15,226 have been deposited since the imposition of the model code of conduct
after the announcement of the polls.
When
contacted, Sangrur deputy commissioner Kavita Singh said: "I have joined
as Sangrur DC last month, I am not aware what happened in the past, but I am
very strict on issuing arms licence and I assure you that in future licence for
arms will be issued after complete
verification."
Sangrur SSP
Mandeep Singh Sidhu also said that the licence for the purchase of arms were
issued only after the police verification. The SSP said: "Though, 93 per
cent people have submitted their weapons in view of forthcoming elections, but
seven per cent are still remaining and we are issuing the directions so that
all weapons could be deposited as possible," said the SSP.