Aa part of steps to ensure violence-free polls, the police, during every election, issue orders to several licensed firearm owners to deposit their guns at the local police station. With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls days away, so far, nearly 680 firearms have been deposited at local police stations across the city.
In one case in the central suburbs, when the licensed firearm holder did not comply with the notice, an offence was registered against him earlier this week.
An officer said in Mumbai, there is a screening committee headed by the zonal DCP that goes through the list of those with licensed firearms within their zone. Some of these are sportspersons or those with security agencies who are exempted. The records of others who have licenses are studied and a list is drawn up of persons with a past criminal record or something that may indicate the person can create a law and problem, the officer said.
“A list of such people is drawn up and is forwarded to the screening committee headed by the police commissioner. Once approved, those on the list are told to deposit their firearms at their local police stations before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the elections comes into effect,” the officer said. The firearms are kept securely at the police station and handed back once the MCC is lifted.
An officer said once the dates for the elections are out, every zonal DCP begins the process of reviewing the list of licensed firearm holders and the scrutiny begins as the process has to be completed by the time the MCC comes into effect.
In some cases where the owners are outside the country exceptions are made by the zonal DCP depending upon the circumstances of case.
The officer said that on an average between 300 and 500 licensed firearm holders are present in each of the 12 zones of the city. Usually per zone, 40 -70 persons are shortlisted and are asked to deposit the firearms.
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Apart from this, police also carry out special drives to track illegal weapons and extern anti-social elements to ensure the elections pass smoothly.
