Punjab Government Grants Over 34,000 Firearms Licences Since 2019, Reveals High Court Submission

In a recent revelation brought forth during proceedings in the Punjab & Haryana High Court, it has come to light that the Punjab state government has issued a staggering total of 34,768 firearms licences over the course of five years.

An affidavit submitted by the Director General of Police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav, disclosed that out of these licences, a significant majority—32,303, to be precise—were granted for self-defence purposes. The revelation surfaced during the anticipatory bail hearing of a Fazilka resident embroiled in a case involving alleged firearm usage.

The court’s scrutiny into firearms licensing was prompted by a concerning trend observed by the judiciary. Instances of individuals openly carrying firearms and causing harm to others have become alarmingly frequent, prompting the court to demand comprehensive data on the matter.

According to the submitted affidavit, the breakdown of licences issued across various categories is as follows: 32,303 licences for self-defence, 77 for protection of crops, 1,536 for individuals with business interests in other states, 95 for threat from gangsters and anti-social elements, and 727 for miscellaneous reasons.

In November 2022, in response to escalating concerns regarding firearms proliferation and misuse, the government had initiated a thorough review of all firearms licences. Additionally, directives were issued to impose a ban on the public display of weapons and on media content promoting gun culture.

The DGP’s report further highlights that following the November 2022 directives, law enforcement authorities took stringent action, registering a total of 189 FIRs for violations related to the ban on public display of firearms and other related offenses.

While the report does not delve into specifics regarding firearms licences issued prior to 2019, it does provide insights into the distribution of licences during this period. Gurdaspur emerged with the highest number of licences granted, totaling 4,928, followed by Bathinda with 2,860 licences and Amritsar Police Commissionerate with 2,242 licences. Conversely, SBS Nagar and Fatehgarh Sahib recorded the lowest numbers of licences issued, each with 229 licences, followed by Malerkotla with 278 licences.

The state’s administrative units, comprising districts, police commissionerates, and smaller units, have been segmented into 28 divisions. Notably, only 13 units reported issuing fewer than 1,000 licences, indicating a widespread distribution of firearms licences across the state.

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