177 arms licences junked last year, shows cops’ data

The Delhi Police did not renew 177 arms licences in 2021 — more than double the number in 2020 — due to the licencees’ failure to comply with stipulated norms, the agency said Saturday.

In 2020, police said they had not renewed 83 arms licences in the Capital.

According to data provided by the licensing department of Delhi Police, 9,965 licences were renewed in the Capital in 2021, which is nearly 59% more than 6,263 licences renewed in 2020.

The data also showed that the number of persons to whom the department issued fresh arms’ licences in 2021 was 101, just one-fifth of the number of people to whom it issued licences in 2020–468.

OP Mishra, joint commissioner of police (licensing), said that one of the major reasons behind the cancellation was the involvement of the licence holders’ weapons in criminal cases.

“Everyone can’t possess an arms licence. There have been several cases in the past wherein licenced weapons have been misused. Licence applicants must have genuine reasons to get one, for instance, a threat. While granting an arms licence, detailed scrutiny is done to check the genuineness of the need and threat. After that, a senior officer personally interviews all applicants before granting them arms licences. As far as facilitating better services to renowned shooters, women and senior citizens is concerned, we have started a separate counter for them,” he said.