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6 out of 10 applicants in city get gun licence

The Mumbai Police issued 416 firearm licences in 2007, more than double compared to the year before.

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A liberal Mumbai Police issued record number of firearm licences in 2007

MUMBAI: The Mumbai Police issued 416 firearm licences in 2007, more than double compared to the year before. And, the trend is only continuing with as many as 127 licences issued in less than two months in 2008. This was despite no significant increase in the number of applications for such licences (see table), prompting people to believe that the police are now more liberal in issuing firearm licences.

The police commissioner’s office got 656 applications for firearm licences in 2007 and sanctioned 416, which works out to be 63.4 per cent of the total applications. This information was furnished by the police to Chetan Kothari under the Right to Information Act. The police did not, however, reveal the names of those to whom the licences were issued, calling it personal information and claiming that it could result in a security threat to those persons.

The police also refused to say how many politicians and film stars had been given gun licences. But they said 20 builders and 12 businessmen had got the licences last year. According to the police, the licences are issued to those who believe that their lives are under threat. The licences are issued under section 13(3) of the Arms Act, 1959. Those whose applications are turned down have a right to go in appeal to the state home department.

In case of misuse of the licence, the police commissioner has the power to revoke it. Last year, 24 licences were revoked, 17 of them because the holders had criminal cases registered against them. The police refused to reveal their names on the grounds of personal information and security threat.

Deputy commissioner of police (headquarters I) Vijaysinh Jadhav denied threat from underworld as the reason why more people were being issued gun licences. “Various private security agencies, several bank security guards, and ex-servicemen in Mumbai applied for the licences in 2007,” he said.
 
g_surendra@dnaindia.net

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