As many as 517 persons have been booked for not depositing the licensed firearms at the concerned police station in Rohru and Chirgoan area in Shimla district during the Model Code of Conduct.
Out of the total, as many as 472 violators are from Rohru region while about 45 violators are from Chirgaon region.
According to police, in view of the ongoing Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) elections, it has directed all the people to deposit their licensed weapons and firearms at the nearest police stations.
To ensure that the order is followed by the people, police teams from Rohru and Chirgaon conducted special drives in their respective areas. For the convenience of people living in remote areas, a mobile collection facility was also provided.
Additionally, people were continuously made aware through phone calls and social media platforms, urging them to comply with the order. While 90 per cent of the weapons were deposited by the people, it was found that several persons had not deposited their weapons, thus violating the orders.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shimla, Gaurav Singh said despite repeated notifications and administrative instructions, certain license holders failed to deposit their weapons, which amounts to a violation of the orders issued by the District Magistrate.
He said taking stern cognizance of this matter, a case under section 223 (b) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of Arms Act, 1959, has been registered against the accused and further investigation is going on.
