"Gun culture" spreading slowly in Tamil Nadu, must be contained: Madras HC

A habeas corpus plea seeking the release of a man detained under the Arms Act for allegedly having committed robbery at gun-point has led the Madras High Court to voice a note of concern that the "gun culture" is slowly spreading in the State..An order passed by a Bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and VM Velumani earlier this week notes,."Our country is facing a lot of threats not only from outside the country but also from inside. The forces within our country are bent upon creating law and order problem. Many organizations such as Naxal movement, ULFA and ISIS are waging war within our country using illegal fire arms.".The Court went on to observe that "gun smuggling is being done from northern states like Bihar, Jharkand, Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh, where the manufacturing of illegal fire arms is booming.".On its presence in Tamil Nadu, it was noted that nearly 230 people were stated to have been arrested in the State for the possession of illegal arms in 2016. An illegal gun-manufacturing unit is stated to have been found in Salem last January, whereas raw materials for gun manufacturing were seized from the Kalrayan Forest Range. ."On January 8, 2020, six ISIS terrorists were arrested for murdering SSI Wilson at Kaliyakavilai Check Post in TN – Kerala Border using illegal firearms, as part of waging Jihad. Similar is the position in all other states in our country, especially Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and North East States", the Court added."It is stated that illegal fire arms are sold at the rate of 50,000 to 60,000 per gun in northern states and they are sold for more than 2,00,000/- per weapon in Tamil Nadu."Madras High Court.Adding to the problem, the Court also took critical note of information that the police were indiscriminately issuing gun licences without verfiying the antecedents of the persons seeking the licence. .The Bench remarked that this was resulting in the "possession of illegal weapons by rowdy gangs, history sheeters, land grabbers and unscrupulous politicians to commit various heinous crimes. ."If this gun culture is not contained and dealt with iron hand, peoples life will not be safe ... the gun culture is spreading slowly in TN which is not good for the State as well as for the Nation."Madras High Court.In view of these concerns, the Court has emphasised that the Government should act to see that the Gun Culture does not spread further, by taking stringent action as required. .Citing the public interest involved in this larger issue, the Court has suo motu impleaded the following authorities to respond to various queries posed by the Court. .The Government of Tamil Nadu, represented by its Secretary, Home Department, The Director-General of Police, The Commissioner of Police..The respondents are expected to respond to the following queries, i.e.:How many persons have been detained under Goondas Act for committing dacoity, robbery and other heinous crimes by making use of illegal fire arms? Are llegal firearms freely available and supplied from North Indian States like Bihar, West Bengal, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand? Apart from North Indian States, whether illegal arms supply is made from outside the country? Are rowdy gangs and notorious criminals, land grabbers using illegal guns for committing murder, robbery, dacoity and land grabbing?Apart from criminal elements are antisocial elements, naxalites and banned organizations also possessing illegal arms to create law and order problems, religious and communal clashes within the society? How many persons have been arrested for supplying Illegal arms for the past ten years? How many persons have been given license to possess guns in Tamil Nadu? How many persons have been arrested for possessing illegal weapons?How many cases have been registered throughout the State for the past 10 years for committing crimes using firearms and what is the stage of those cases?.The matter has been posted to be taken up after two weeks.