Punjab: 2,000 arms licenses canceled including those of Khalistani supporters
The Aam Aadmi Party-led (AAP) Punjab government has canceled at least 2,000 arms licenses so far and tightened arms regulations in a bid to crack down on the "gun culture" in the state. Reportedly, it canceled 813 arms licenses, including those of aides of Khalistani leaders, on Sunday alone. Furthermore, the government said there is now a ban on carrying/displaying weapons in public functions.
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Arms licenses of 813 persons canceled in latest order
The state government so far canceled over 2,000 arms licenses, including those of 813 people in the latest action on Sunday, India Today reported. Among them were 87 from Ludhiana Rural, 48 were from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, 10 in Gurdaspur, 84 in Faridkot), and 199 from Pathankot. Licenses of 27 individuals from Amritsar Commissionerate and 11 persons from Jalandhar Commissionerate were also canceled.
Gun regulations tightened, public display firearms banned
The state government also said that certain gun regulations had been tightened, adding that a prohibition on carrying and displaying weapons in public events, religious places, marriage ceremonies, etc., has been implemented in Punjab. Moreover, the police will carry out random searches in different areas in the coming days, and a complete ban on the glorification of weapons and violence will also be enforced.
Crackdown on aides of pro-Khalistani leader
Recently, a major controversy erupted in the state after supporters of pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh holding guns clashed with the police in a police complex near Amritsar. The Punjab Police has now asked the Amritsar district administration to cancel the arms licenses of Singh's nine aides, saying that such licenses were issued for self-defense and not to provide security cover to the pro-Khalistani leader.
Killing of Sidhu Moose Wala exposed Punjab's gun culture
The killing of Congress politician and Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in May 2022 highlighted the nature of Punjab's growing gun culture. The 28-year-old singer was gunned down in his ancestral village of Jawaharke in Punjab's Mansa district. The tragedy took place just a day after the state government withdrew the protection of 424 people, including the singer-turned-politician.
State reports significant arms-related violence
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Punjab recorded 2,073 arms-related offenses during 2016-20—an average of 400 incidents per year. It saw 1.4 arms-related cases per one lakh people every year—approximately 3-4 times fewer than the national average—suggesting Punjab's people are less likely to report such offenses. Notably, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, had an average of 1,204 such instances per year in this period.
