BIHAR’S DM-SP HAVE NO IDEA OF ARMS

BIHAR’S DM-SP HAVE NO IDEA OF ARMS

5-AUG-ENG 23

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-------------------------Bhojpur's strongman Arun Yadav's convoy has 4-6 probated bore semi-automatic rifles, Patna's Karmveer Singh Yadav alias Lallu Mukhiya also carries 2-2 semi-automatic rifles in his convoy

Police have often been repeating that there is a ban on display of weapons. Sometimes CM Nitish Kumar and many ministers of the government also say in their speeches that earlier people used to drive with the barrel of the rifle out of the car, due to fear of which people used to hide and go inside their homes, tell me is it like this now. There is rule of law in the state, an atmosphere of fear will not prevail. CM sahab, DM-SP have no knowledge of arms. Leave aside katta, double barrel and regular rifles, sand mafia and strongmen are openly roaming around with convoys of banned semi-automatic rifles and are also openly displaying them. Not only this, to establish dominance, videos with banned semi-automatic rifles are being made and uploaded on social media. Will this not be considered as open display of weapons, are DM-SP unaware? Do they not even know how to identify weapons, which weapon is probated and which is non-probated? How are the District Arms Magistrate and Deputed Magistrate (Incharge Magistrate) verifying (inspecting) the semi-automatic rifles of probated bore, why were the banned semi-automatic rifles not seized during the verification of weapons. Whereas according to the Arms Act 2016, semi-automatic (30 06) 7.62 mm is completely banned for civilians.

Weapons are openly displayed on the social media account of Mantu Gop, a supporter of Bhojpur's strongman Arun Yadav. On Mantu Gop's social media account, two boys are seen carrying banned semi-automatic (30-06) 7.62 mm rifles. They are shown to be sand mafias and music is being played. In another video on his social media account, 4 semi-automatic, banned rifles are shown kept on a sofa and weapons are being openly displayed by making it viral. In some videos, it is also seen that the person carrying the banned semi-automatic rifle is accompanied by police (government bodyguards). Semi-automatic rifle (30-06) 7.62 mm is banned for civilians. Similarly, 2 banned semi-automatic rifles are also seen in the convoy of Karamveer Singh Yadav alias Lallu Mukhiya of Patna. A video is trending on the social account of Lallu Mukhiya's supporter Gorelal Yadav in which a person walking ahead of Lallu Mukhiya and a person behind him are carrying semi-automatic (30-06) 7.62 mm rifles. Weapons are being openly displayed and to establish dominance, music has been given in the reel - 'Door ke bala kar nahi, sher hai akele fadiyaenge'... Not only these two, many strongmen and sand mafias of Bhojpur are openly carrying banned semi-automatic rifles (30-06) 7.62 mm. The question is obvious, why is the police not confiscating the banned semi-automatic rifles?

Semi-automatic rifle (30-06) 7.62 mm is an American rifle. It was made in 1920 and handed over to the US Army in 1924. It was manufactured till 1956. The above mentioned semi-automatic was considered to be the most lethal weapon in the Second World War. In India, semi-automatic (30-06) 7.62 mm rifle is banned for civilians. The Government of India has kept it in the Probated Bore. In Schedule 1 Rule 3, Page No. 86 of the Arms Act (Arms Rule) 2016, the semi-automatic rifle (30-06) 7.62 mm has been declared banned for civilians.

From the security point of view, the District Magistrate (DM) has the right to issue arms license to civilians. The District Magistrate can issue only Non-Probated Bore (NP Bore) arms license to a civilian and the licensee can also take and carry only NP Bore arms. The District Magistrate does the entry (marking on the license) of the licensee's weapon. While entering the arms on the license, it is important to see whether the weapon is NP bore or P (probated bore) and the weapon's number and manufacturing year.

The Arms Act 2016 clearly states which weapon is civilian and which weapon is prohibited for civilians. Semi-automatic rifle (30-06) 7.62 mm has been declared prohibited and has been kept in the probated bore. If sources are to be believed, semi-automatic (30-06) 7.62 mm, probated bore has been entered on NP bore license in a fraudulent manner. The most shocking thing is that the verification (inspection) of probated bore, semi-automatic rifle (30-06) 7.62 mm has been done by the District Arms Magistrate and is being done even at present. Not only this, during elections, the deputed magistrate also verifies (inspects) the banned semi-automatic rifles in the local police station. This passes through the eyes of the police and the deputed magistrate. This makes it clear that the police-administration has no knowledge about arms. All the police-administration people including the DM-SP have to know the difference between NP bore (non-probated bore) and P bore (probated bore). There is a need to provide training to identify weapons, otherwise sand mafia and strongmen will continue to openly display semi-automatic rifles of prohibited bore. Now it remains to be seen what the concerned police-administration officials do, whether they confiscate the prohibited semi-automatic or keep it with a free hand.