Lokmat News Network
Beed
Despite criminal charges, many leaders and individuals possessed firearms. This issue was brought to light by Lokmat Times, leading to the revocation of 60 more gun licenses on Thursday, bringing the total number of revoked licenses to 160. The district authorities have now taken swift action, punishing those trying to gain attention by illegally holding weapons.
The issue of gun licenses in Beed gained prominence after the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog. The matter was raised during the Winter Session of the Legislative Assembly, with voices of concern from politicians, including MLA Suresh Dhas, MLA Sandip Kshirsagar and activist Anjali Damania. Prior to this, the former police superintendent, Avinash Bargal, had sent a list of individuals with criminal charges who held gun licenses to the district collector. However, due to elections and training, the issue was delayed. After the issue gained traction in the assembly, notices were issued, and hearings were held. As a result, 100 licenses were revoked last week, and another 60 were revoked on Thursday, marking the largest crackdown so far.
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Further investigations underway
Out of the 1,281 gun licenses in Beed, 232 were held by individuals with criminal charges. While 160 licenses have already been revoked, an additional 72 individuals remain under investigation. The authorities have vowed to continue their efforts to curb illegal gun ownership in the district.
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Lokmat Times’s persistent follow-up
On December 8, 2023, Lokmat published an article with statistics showing the number of criminal cases against license holders. Following this, this time SP Avinash Bargal took action, and the newly appointed SP Navneet Kanwat also conducted a review. As a result, District Collector Avinash Pathak has revoked 160 gun licenses so far.
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Political leaders among those affected
The list of 232 individuals with criminal charges includes not only politicians but also businesspeople and social activists. Among the 160 revoked licenses are several political leaders, many of whom had used firearms to project power, further fueling public anger over the issue.
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Notice to Surrender Firearms
After the initial 100 licenses were revoked, the district authorities issued notices to individuals to surrender their firearms through the police. Those found with firearms will face legal consequences, and the licenses will remain revoked for six months after the verdict in the related cases.