274 arms licences suspended in Patiala district after Punjab govt’s review order

The Patiala administration has suspended 274 arms licences in the district following the Punjab government’s recent instructions to review all such licences within three months, deputy commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said. The action was initiated by the office of the district magistrate.

Show-cause notices were also issued to the licence holders asking why their permits should not be cancelled as many of them continued to have more than two weapons per licence despite repeated warnings, Sawhney said. Such individuals have been asked to deposit the extra weapons with immediate effect, she added.

The deputy commissioner informed that the arms licences of all those who are bound under section 107/110 (security for keeping the peace in other cases/security for good behaviour from habitual offenders) of the CrPC were suspended for the period of the bond as per section 9 (prohibition of acquisition or possession of firearms) of the Arms Act.