Patna: The Bihar government has taken strong steps to control the misuse of licensed weapons ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. A new plan has been launched to stop black marketing of bullets and take strict action against people who misuse their gun licences. The state Home Department has issued guidelines to police and district officials to enforce these new rules.
One of the major changes is that licensed gun owners will now be allowed to buy only 50 bullets per year, instead of the earlier limit of 200. This has been done to prevent bullets from being sold illegally in the black market. People who have a history of criminal activity, celebratory firing, or showing weapons to create fear will have their gun licences cancelled. Police have already started identifying such people and taking action.
The government is also making it compulsory for all licence holders to register their arms details online through the NDAL-ALIS portal. Before buying new bullets, they must return used shells and get a usage certificate. Arms shops and factories must submit their stock records to the police for checking. If any shop is closed or not following the rules, legal action will be taken.
At the district level, a committee led by the District Magistrate will review all arms licences and shops every three months. High-level reviews will also be done every six months. The police say that around 3,600 illegal weapons and 17,000 illegal bullets are seized every year in Bihar. Many bullets are found to have come from licensed shops but were sold illegally. This plan hopes to fix gaps in the system and ensure that weapons are not misused during the election season.
