To check growing nexus between arms dealers and bureaucrats, the Jammu & Kashmir Government has ordered a blanket ban on issuance of fresh arms licenses to individuals till further orders.
The State Home department after receiving reports from different investigating agencies and inputs from the Union Home Ministry has also ordered an inquiry by the State Vigilance Organization besides directing the District Magistrates to take immediate steps to revoke individual licenses issued by them between January 1, 2017 to February 23, 2018.
The State Home department has identified eight districts namely Kishtwar, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi and Udhampur in Jammu region; Kupwara and Ganderbal in Kashmir and leh in ladakh region where these arms licenses were issued indiscriminately.
According to the order issued by the Principal Secretary State Home Department, “ no fresh individual arms license will be issued by the District Magistrates of Jammu and Kashmir under Section 14 (1) (b) (ii) of the Arms Act 1959 till further orders”.
According to official sources, the highest number of 4377 licenses were issued in Udhampur followed by kishtwar where 2838 licenses were issued in 2017. In Rajouri 2153 arms licenses were issued in 2017 and 1203 licenses were issued in leh district. Similarly 1015 licenses were issued in Ramban.
The order further said,”It was deemed appropriate to have whole gamut of facts/issues investigated through an impartial investigation agency in addition to the enquiries, which are already underway. Accordingly, the matter has been referred to the State Vigilance Organization for investigation and appropriate action in terms of law’.’
It ordered that “The District Magistrates of the State will take urgent steps to revoke all such individual arms licenses issued to various persons excluding the personnel of State Police, Army and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), which don’t meet all the conditions prescribed in Rule 11 and Rule 12 of the Arms Rules, 2016.
“Further, the District Magistrates will direct all such persons, whose licenses are revoked, to deposit their arms and ammunition with the Officer Incharge of the nearest police station failing which action as warranted under law will be initiated. This action should be concluded within 15 days of issue of this order and compliance reported to the Home Department,’’ the Government order said.