Punjabis surrender 1.16 lakh weapons in election run-up

Is Punjab a firearms saturated state? With about 1.16 lakh firearms deposited in police stations in the run-up to the election, it appears as if people in the state have been lavishly equipping themselves.

According to an official estimate, there are over two-and-a-half lakh licensed firearms in the state — the number of unlicensed weapons could as well be as much.

In the last Lok Sabha election, only 20,000 weapons were deposited with the police, while this time the number is expected to be a staggering 1.25 lakh with over three weeks left for the final round of polling.

Additional director general of police (election cell) SM Sharma said Punjab did not have a history of poll violence, but precaution had been taken in view of the surcharged political atmosphere. For instance, in the last assembly election, only two incidents of firing were recorded, whereas in the 2004 Lok Sabha election, Sharma said, four such incidents had come to police notice. In no case, however, there was bloodshed. 

A notification was issued last month asking all persons holding licensed weapons to deposit their firearms at the nearest police stations till the counting for the Lok Sabha election was over.

Sharma said it was possible all licensees might not abide by the directive, yet the police would make fervent efforts to collect as many weapons as possible. He said district magistrates, who keep a record of licensed weapons, had been asked to cooperate with the police in the exercise. There have been reports that a large number of people were not willing to part with their licensed weapons, which they said were taken for protection from militants.

Sharma said in the first round, weapons from persons with criminal background had been seized, even as many others had voluntarily deposited their firearms. Punjab goes to the polls in two rounds, on May 7 and 13.