UP: Licensed weapons being used to kill, not for self-defence

In Uttar Pradesh, licensed weapons are being used more for committing suicide or murder rather than for self-defence. In Lucknow itself, in the first eight months of 2021, more than 10 people used licensed weapons to end their lives. Similarly, licensed weapons were also used to commit murders.

Lucknow: Licensed weapons have become a status symbol in Uttar Pradesh. Though such weapons are given for the purpose of self-defence, these are actually being used to kill. Not a single shot has been fired from such weapons for protection. Police records show that licensed weapons are being used for murder and suicide. Now, police officers are also worried that licensed weapons are becoming a law and order problem rather than being used for security.

An attempt to commit suicide by Vishwambhar Dayal, personal secretary to Additional Secretary (Urban Development) Rajnish Dubey, has once again raised questions on the misuse of licensed weapons. On Monday, as people celebrated Janmashtami, Dayal shot himself with a licensed weapon at Bapu Bhavan. He allegedly faced police harassment after a case was registered at Auras police station in Unnao over an ongoing dispute with his sister's in-laws.

Dayal was taken to Lohia Hospital in a critical condition. A team of doctors from neurosurgery, anesthesia, and general surgery departments performed a four-hour-long operation after which the bullet in Dayal's head was removed. He has now been shifted to the ICU where his condition remains critical.

Earlier, on May 18 this year, Sanjay Shukla, posted as GST Assistant Commissioner (Deputy Commissioner) in Varanasi, committed suicide by shooting himself with a licensed revolver in his flat at Saryu Apartmenta, Gomtinagar Extension, Lucknow. Twelve days before he committed suicide, Rs 25 lakh was stolen from his apartment. Following this, he came to Lucknow from Varanasi. He met many officers including Lucknow Police Commissioner, but no action was taken. It is being said that he committed suicide because of the attitude of the police.

Not only this, on March 8 this year, Arvind Mishra, a railway employee, killed his wife Rakhi Mishra (35) with a licensed weapon after a quarrel in Para area of Lucknow. Mishra, posted as a class IV employee in the Indian Railways at Unchahar, Rae Bareli, was a resident of Surya Nagar near Jalalpur railway gate. Police said that Mishra, an alocoholic, had reached home drunk and there was a dispute with his wife Rakhi Mishra. After this, he shot her with a licensed gun. Police later sent the accused to jail.

According to police records, in Lucknow itself, in the first eight months of 2021, more than 10 people used licensed weapons to end their lives. Similarly, licensed weapons were also used to commit murders.

This has become a matter of concern for the police, because arms licenses are given on the condition that such weapons will be used for self-defence in critical situations. But, during the last one year, not a single case of firing a licensed weapon for self-defence has been reported.

State Police Commissioner DK Thakur has ordered police station in-charges to send a report on cancellation of unused licences after Dayal's suicide attempt at Bapu Bhawan.

Meanwhile, police in Uttar Pradesh have also so far arrested 158 henchmen of notorious mafia leader Mukhtar Ansari and canceled the licences of 122 of their weapons. In Mau, 45 arms licences of 42 people associated with Ansari have been suspended by the administration.

At the same time, the Yogi government has canceled the arms licenses of 60 members of the Atiq Ahmed gang. Action was taken to revoke three arms licences of former MP Atiq Ahmed after he and his supporters assaulted the staff of Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHIATS) in Prayagraj some years back.

In Uttar Pradesh, out of a population of about 25 crore, so far about 14 lakh people have got licences to keep arms. Of these, about 60,000 licensed weapons have been issued in Lucknow. According to government figures, 3,000 arms licence applications are made every year in Lucknow.