Prayagraj: District authorities have cancelled as many as 38 arm licenses of criminals.
These include 25 of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, his relatives and gang members, and 12 of gangster Dilip Mishra and his henchmen.
The authorities acted upon the reports sent by the city police seeking cancellation of arms licenses of criminals and their gang members.
City police have also recommended cancellation of 16 more arms licences, which include those of 14 members of Atiq Ahmad’s gang.
Range police have, in fact, prepared a list of 87 license holders with criminal sketch, gang members, their relatives, and managed to cancel the arms licenses of 38 such persons till the third week of June.
While 25 arms licenses along with weapons belonging to Atiq Ahmad and his gang members have been cancelled till now, report for cancellation of 16 other arms licenses have been sent to the district authorities.
Moreover, as many as 15 arms licenses of gang members of Atiq Ahmad have been deposited at the police station/authorised arms shops concerned, while the police are making efforts to find out the status of 14 other licenses.
The police claimed that only six out of 70 arms licenses belonged to Atiq Ahmad/his close relatives, and all these six licenses have been cancelled.
The move comes after a joint team of police and local administration launched a drive to seize, attach or demolish properties of listed hardened criminals or gangsters, accumulated through illegal means.
Police are also focusing on cancellation of arm licenses of criminals.
Inspector general of police, Prayagraj range, K P Singh told TOI, “Range police have prepared a dossier of 87 criminals, their relatives and accomplices who have licensed weapons, and initiated measures for cancellation/deposition/suspension of their arm licenses.” IG also maintained that out of 15 arms licenses of gangster Dilip Mishra and his henchmen, 12 have already been cancelled and report for cancellation of two more licenses have been sent to the district authorities.
The police have been finding out the status of one arm license.
Six out of 15 arms licenses belonged to gangster Dilip Mishra and his wife.
Besides, report for two arms licenses of close aides of Babloo Pasi has also been sent to district administration for cancellation.
Babloo Pasi never had any arms license.
“Cops have started opening the records of criminal gangs, and have made a list of those who used their licensed gun or their relatives’ to commit crimes,” said a senior cop.
“Thana cops of all police stations of the district have been asked to prepare a list of criminals and their relatives who have access to licensed arms,” said the IG.