Madras HC seeks report from TN govt on illegal guns

The Madras High Court on Monday voiced concern that gun culture was finding its way into Tamil Nadu and sought a report from the state government on steps taken to control the trend.

A bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and V M Velumani, hearing a related matter through virtual hearing, said the country was facing a lot of threats not only from outside but also from inside with Naxalites, ULFA and ISIS were waging war using illegal weapons.

Impleading suo motu (on its own) the state Director General of Police, home secretary and the city police commissioner as party respondents, it directed them to file a detailed report on the steps taken to prevent illegal guns.

Posing a set of questions, the bench sought details on the number of people detained under the Goondas Act for committing offences like dacoity, robbery and other heinous crimes using illegal firearms and number of people arrested for selling them.

Seeking information on the number of gun licenses granted in the state, the court directed them to file the report in two weeks.

It said such unlicensed guns were supplied from states, including Jharkhand and Bihar, and goondas and contract killers were getting access to them and added there were also media reports about individuals, criminals and politicians using unlawful firearms.

The court also said Police were issuing gun licences indiscriminately to the applicants without even verifying their antecedents.

If this gun culture is not contained and dealt with an iron hand, people's life will not be safe, it said.

When state public prosecutor A Natarajan said he will definitely take up the issue to the state government, the bench said such incidents had been going for years and it was time for taking steps to bring them under control.