JAMMU, Dec 7: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has launched a crackdown on firearm vendors allegedly linked to the arms license fraud.
Authorities sealed four gun stores in the Shiv Nagar area near the Railway Station, Jammu marking the start of a phased closure of 55 such establishments across the district.
According to sources, the action follows instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which, acting on recommendations from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), directed the J&K Government last month to target firearm dealers implicated in the scam.
The CBI investigation revealed that between 2012 and 2016, several retired and serving District Magistrates conspired with arms dealers to issue a large number of illegal weapon licenses, many to ineligible individuals, including defense personnel.
“In Jammu district, the CBI has identified 55 arms dealers for their alleged involvement,” an official revealed. “The MHA has ordered the closure of all these units. As of today, four have been shut, with the remaining to be addressed in phases,” the official added.
Additionally, renewal applications for 18 firearm dealers have already been rejected by the J&K Government, as they were deemed unfit for continuation based on the CBI’s findings.
License holders possessing more than two weapons have been instructed to surrender their surplus arms within one week. These firearms must be deposited either at the nearest police station or an authorised unit armoury, especially in the case of Armed Forces personnel.
ALSO READ: J&K seeks ₹75,000 cr boost to expand industrial growth
The order also emphasized that compliance would require proper endorsement on licenses to avoid cancellation and legal repercussions. Non-compliance, it warned, would result in immediate cancellation of licenses and stringent legal action under the Arms Act.