Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara: Keeping firearms has become a status symbol in Bhojpur district and a large number of people have firearms licence. Yet applications for firearms licence are pouring in large numbers. These licensed firearms are, however, frequently used in committing crimes these days in the district. Keeping this in mind, Bhojpur DM Birendra Prasad Yadav returned about 2,500 applications to the police stations concerned seeking to know why licence should be given to these applicants. These applications were earlier received at the office of the Arms Magistrate.
Altogether 6,045 persons including 45 women have licence for firearms revolvers, pistols, guns, double barrel guns, in Bhojpur district while the police personnel have only 3,000 licence for firearms. Ministery of Home Affairs, Government of India, has made it mandatory for the license holders of firearms to have unique numbers but 52 firearms licence holders have not submitted forms for unique numbers so far despite publication of notice several times.
Possession of firearms has become a status symbol for the people in Bhojpur district and people try to get a license for the same anyhow. It has also become a fashion these days to fire during marriage ceremony. Bhojpur DM Birendra Prasad Yadav returned about 2,500 applications to the police stations concerned and directed the SHOs of all 36 police stations in the district to send the applications for firearms license after thorough verification and with their recommendations.
The DM said that the applications for firearms forwarded by the SHOs did not carry their recommendation, there was no mention of the antecedent of the applicants and their complete address. He said some persons got firearms from Nagaland without approval from the district administration and on wrong address and so entry of such firearms in Bhojpur district has been banned till they got it verified from the district administration.
The DM further said 6,045 persons have firearms licence in Bhojpur district. Maximum number of licenses for firearms was issued during 2008-2009 while only 20 licences were issued in 2015. He said in 2016 so far not a single licence for firearms has been given though 2,500 applications were received from Ara, Piro and Jagdishpur sub-divisions forwarded by the Inspectors, DSPs and SP offices to the office of the Arms Magistrate.