Bhopal: 28 Shooters Lose Arms Licences Over Misuse

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The district administration has cancelled arms licences of 28 shooters and suspended two others after a probe revealed serious irregularities, including diversion of ammunition to criminal elements.

The action follows a four-day verification drive conducted in August, which exposed misuse of sports licence category by people who had originally obtained firearms for self-defence.

According to officials, many shooters obtained multiple weapons by falsely claiming participation in competitive shooting. However, they had failed to meet basic competition standards and had not participated in national or international events for years.

Some were found using ammunition meant for practice or tournaments for personal use, while others were allegedly involved in illegal arms trading.

Investigators also found that several licence holders submitted false declarations during renewals, with some concealing pending criminal cases. Many failed to account for practice cartridges, a requirement under the licensing norms.

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The report, prepared by Bairagarh SDM Ravi Shankar Rai in coordination with police officers, listed 30 names, including Syed Ayan Uddin, Farhan Ul Haq, Akhilendra Singh, Shafiq Khan, Mustafa Ali and Sania Khan. At least three of them already had criminal record.

Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh ordered immediate cancellation of 28 licences, permanently debarring holders from obtaining new ones. The remaining two suspended shooters will be required to reappear for verification before any decision is made on reinstating their permits.

Officials said the crackdown is intended to restore accountability in arms licensing and ensure that sports category is used strictly for competitive shooting purposes.

Firm action

• * 28 licences cancelled, 2 suspended for re-verification

• * Ammunition under sports quota linked to criminal misuse

• * False claims and non-participation in competitions detected

• * Action based on SDM-led probe covering 30 individuals.