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Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
As Bihar heads to polls, crime wave fuels law and order concerns
Back-to-back killings targeting businessmen, politicians, lawyers, teachers and ordinary citizens have raised serious concerns about Bihar's law and order, with police blaming the surge on the widespread availability of illegal firearms and ammunition. Over the past 10 days, a string of killings - including those of businessman Gopal Khemka, BJP leader Surendra Kumar, a 60-year-old woman, a shopkeeper, a lawyer, and a teacher - has rocked the poll-bound state. According to the latest State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB) data, the state recorded 1,376 murders with an average of 229 each month between January and June, compared to 2,786 in all of 2024 and 2,863 in 2023. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote According to senior police officers, proliferation of firearms, which are illegally manufactured or procured without a valid license, coupled with unchecked availability of ammunition, have contributed to the recent spurt in violent crimes. Bihar has consistently ranked among the top-five states in terms of violent crimes, including those involving firearms, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures. The state has held second position in violent crime rate in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2022, NCRB data said. Live Events Talking to PTI, DGP Vinay Kumar, said, "Land disputes and property matters are the main reasons behind most of the killings. In such cases, role of police is limited and it starts after the crime takes place. Our force has achieved 100 per cent detection rate". The DGP, however, claimed that organised crime has come down compared to last year. "Proliferation of firearms, illegally manufactured or procured without valid licenses, coupled with unchecked availability of ammunition are issues which are being looked into by the authorities", he said. "A state with such a large population, having over 60 per cent population under the age of 30 and unemployed, is bound to be vulnerable to law and order problems", Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Kundan Krishnan said. "To check violent crimes, there is a need to plug the gaps in the existing system and standardise the process of issuing arms licenses," Krishnan, who is also the ADG of the Special Task Force (STF) of Bihar Police, told PTI. According to the National Database of Arms Licenses-Arms License Issuance System (NDAL-ALIS) portal (Ministry of Home Affairs), Bihar has 82,326 firearms holders and 77,479 active arms licences. Out of 141 licensed arms dealers in the state, only 114 are operational, while 27 have been found inoperative. "This poses a serious threat of misuse. We have brought the matter to the notice of the authorities concerned. Licenses of such dealers must be suspended," Krishnan said. An analysis of district-wise firearm licences in relation to population reveals that Bhojpur has the highest density, with 205 firearms and 196 licensees per lakh population, surpassing Patna, which has 161 firearms and 156 licences per lakh. SCRB data further shows Patna as the leading district in Arms Act cases, averaging 321.7 cases annually, followed by Begusarai (167.7), Muzaffarpur (158.3), Nalanda (117.9), and Vaishali (117.8). In the last 10 years, the number of recovered country-made firearms has more than doubled from 2,356 in 2015 to 4,981 in 2024, it said. A correlation between arms Act cases and violent crimes shows Patna again topping the list, averaging 82 violent incidents annually, followed by Motihari (49.53), Saran (44.08), Gaya (43.50), Muzaffarpur (39.93), and Vaishali (37.90). "Most violent crimes in the state involve the use of firearms. However, ammunition used in these crimes are manufactured by licensed industrial units. Therefore, the identity of the 25 inoperative arms dealers out of 138 listed in the state can be exploited by criminals to illegally procure arms/ammunition", the ADG added. Talking to PTI, Jitendra Rana, Inspector General (IG) of central range (Patna), said, "It is not true to say that gun-related violence has increased in Patna. Yes, it is true that some sensational murder cases have taken place. But, the accused have also been arrested in those cases and arms and ammunition were also recovered". Commenting on the surge in violent cases, Abhayanand, former DGP, told PTI, "I must say that the existing criminal justice system is not able to match up to the crime. The legislature must make laws to give more power to police to check such crimes effectively". Reacting to surge in crimes, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in a post on X said, "If the crumbling law and order and rampant corruption in Bihar aren't making anyone angry in the state, then we must say that the person's sense of justice and human compassion has died. Ignoring the government's failures and public sentiments in the name of caste and religion is disastrous for Bihar and the people of the state. Under the NDA's rule, 65,000 murders have taken place so far !!! Does the unconscious Chief Minister dare to make a statement on any such incident?". Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha recently told reporters that, "Increasing criminal incidents involve the sand mafia, land mafia and liquor mafia. These mafias are linked to the RJD. RJD members want to spread anarchy in Bihar before the elections".
Hindustan Times
24-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Ahead of polls, Bihar police gear up to check live bullets, illegal arms
With elections approaching, the fear of use of arms looms large in Bihar. In order to curb this menace, the Bihar police have sprung to action by scanning arms licences, controlling illegal arms, cracking down on manufacturing units of such arms and even reining in illegal possession of live cartridges. According to the National Database of Arms Licenses-Arms License Issuance System (NDAL-ALIS) portal Bihar has 82,326 firearms holders and 77,479 active arms licences. (Sourced Pic) In a latest catch, sleuths of Bihar's Special Task Force (STF) on Monday arrested six people, including a notorious arms smuggler and two women from two separate places, and seized a huge cache of ammunition from them, officials said. The joint team of STF, Nalanda and Kaimur police recovered 4,536 live cartridges of different bores, including those used in Self Loading Rifles. This huge recovery is significant because these cartridges can't be manufactured locally and are always stolen or smuggled. A senior police officer confirmed that the bullets were brought from outside as only illegal arms manufacturing units could be established locally and sophisticated cartridges could not be produced by local manufacturers. He said that it warrants a thorough check on entry of such cartridges into the state. 'The check on illegal cartridges would automatically bring down the cases of murder, attempt to murder, celebratory firing, extortion as well as illegal gun manufacturing units. In 2024 alone, Bihar police recovered 17,000 live cartridges and 3,600 illegal firearms, which could have found their way into the wrong hands,' he added. According to the National Database of Arms Licenses-Arms License Issuance System (NDAL-ALIS) portal Bihar has 82,326 firearms holders and 77,479 active arms licences. The move is significant as Bihar ranks only second behind Uttar Pradesh in seeing deaths due to bullet injuries. 'In 2024, 80% of the 2,700 murders that took place in the state were attributed to bullets. Once the availability of live cartridges will be checked, such instances will come down,' the official added. A senior officer of the police headquarters informed that a meeting of chief secretary Amrit Lal Meena with district magistrates and superintendents of police was held recently to ramp up arms verification exercise before assembly election and ascertain if the license holders were permanent residents of the state or not and if they were fit enough to carry arms. 'The authorities have also been asked to find out the annual purchase of cartridges. The gun shops will also be under scanner, as there have been growing instances of use of firearms in celebratory firing, particularly in Central Bihar and Shahabad region,' said ADG (headquarters) Kundan Krishnan. Krishna said that the STF in its investigation found that there were 141 gun shops registered in the state and out of which 30 did not even open. 'The license of such shops will be cancelled,' he added. Maintaining that there had been growing instances of firing in neighbourhood disputes, the ADG said that the police headquarters has submitted a proposal as to why the cost of cartridges should not be doubled to check their rampant misuse. 'At present .315 bore cartridges are available at ₹ 175-200. If the cost is fixed at ₹ 400 and instead of a quota of 200 bullets to a license holder, it is fixed at 50, with a provision that for additional supply empty cartridges would have to be deposited, the proclivity to open fire at one's whims and fancy would be significantly checked and that would also cut down the requirement of arms,' he added. As per the new proposal, an arms licence holder would get only 25 bullets at a time and the next lot of 25 would be given only after submission of 25 empty cartridges. 'The arms licence holder, if required, might also be asked about its usage,' said the official. The ADG said that .32 bore, 9MM and 7.65 bore are prohibited cartridges produced in ordnance factories and used by the army, paramilitary and state police only. 'To control their use also, we will correspond with the concerned departments so that proper stock verification could be done. In Bihar, arms licenses from Nagaland and J&K are also banned. The district magistrates are the licensing authority for arms. All individual arms licences not uploaded on the NDAL-ALIS portal, developed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, are considered invalid, as per the rules,' he added. Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena said the state government is implementing changes to firearms licensing regulations to strengthen gun control measures.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Time of India
Police propose tighter rules as licensed ammo found reaching criminal hands
1 2 Patna: In a bid to curb the illegal trade of firearms and ammunition in Bihar, the police have proposed a series of stringent measures to the home department. The comprehensive strategy includes reducing the annual ammunition purchase limit from 200 to 50 rounds per licence holder, introducing mandatory verification of spent cartridges before new purchases, conducting regular audits of licensed arms dealers and manufacturers, developing a robust digital database via the NDAL-ALIS (National Database of Arms Licenses – Arms License Issuance System) portal and forming district-level committees to conduct quarterly reviews of arms licences and dealers. The NDAL-ALIS portal, developed by the ministry of home affairs, is aimed at streamlining and digitising the arms licensing process nationwide. The police headquarters (PHQ) has identified several systemic flaws, including incomplete digital records, inadequate identity verification mechanisms and poor monitoring of interstate arms licences, particularly those issued in Nagaland and Jammu & Kashmir. Additional director general of PHQ and Special Task Force, Kundan Krishnan, said, "Recent data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) places Bihar among the top five states in terms of violent crime rates (2017-22), prompting urgent action from law enforcement authorities." Police records indicate that an average of 3,600 illegal firearms and 17,000 rounds of ammunition are seized annually in Bihar. A study by the Special Task Force revealed that although criminals primarily use unlicensed weapons, they often obtain ammunition through licensed arms dealers, highlighting a troubling nexus between authorised vendors and criminal networks. Data from the NDAL-ALIS, as of April 7, 2025 (ministry of home affairs), shows that Bihar currently has 82,326 registered firearms and 77,479 active licences. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Under the Arms Rules 2016, licence holders are allowed to purchase up to 200 rounds of ammunition per year with a cap of 100 rounds per transaction. This permits approximately 8 million rounds to circulate legally within the state annually. "In violent incidents involving criminal elements, the firearms are typically illegal, but the bullets are manufactured by ordnance factories. Their primary source is licensed gun shops, which suggests that either the licence holders, the shop owners or both are diverting legally purchased ammunition to criminals. To maintain law and order and prevent violent incidents, an effective check on the criminal diversion of bullets is essential," said Krishnan. The state govt has acknowledged several deficiencies in the existing system, such as incomplete updates to the NDAL-ALIS portal, lax verification procedures and limited oversight of arms dealers and manufacturers. Krishnan added, "To address these issues, a comprehensive action plan has been submitted to the home department. Under this plan, licence holders will be restricted to purchasing a maximum of 50 rounds per year with no more than 25 rounds per transaction. Used cartridges must be submitted before new ammunition is issued. Additional measures include mandatory registration of all licence holders and dealers on the NDAL-ALIS portal, regular audits of arms dealers and the formation of district-level committees led by district magistrates for quarterly reviews. A formal letter outlining the plan was sent to the home department on June 17, 2025." Special attention will be directed at scrutinising licences issued from other states, especially Nagaland and Jammu & Kashmir. Authorities will also conduct rigorous checks on elderly and physically or mentally challenged licence holders to ensure appropriate transfer or cancellation of licences where necessary. "The home department will enforce stricter oversight of people with criminal records or those involved in celebratory firing incidents. Social media monitoring will be strengthened to detect illegal displays of firearms," Krishnan added. He said these reforms are expected to enhance the control over ammunition distribution and reduce the likelihood of licensed firearms being misused. The state govt will coordinate with the ministry of home affairs to implement these measures effectively, Krishnan said.
