Unnecessary weapon licenses in Beed will be cancelled: police

Police in Beed, Maharashtra are reviewing all weapon licenses, cracking down on misuse and ensuring legitimate need for firearms.

Police are scrutinizing all weapon licenses issued in the Beed district of Maharashtra and verifying in every case if the person has a legitimate need for a firearm, a senior police official has said.

First Information Reports (FIRs) would be registered against persons whose photographs or videos while flaunting a gun are circulating on social media, Beed Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat told reporters on Monday (December 31, 2024).

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The worsening law and order situation in this central Maharashtra district came to the fore after the brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh, sarpanch of Massajog village, on December 9, and a related case of extortion.

"We are verifying the need for weapon license in all cases. Wherever there is no need, we will recommend that the license be cancelled," said Mr. Kanwat who took charge in Beed recently after the previous SP was transferred amid the political row over the murder.

Asked about local BJP MLA Suresh Dhas's demand that it should also be checked in each case who recommended that a person get a weapon license, the SP said, "The police examine an application taking into consideration the law and order conditions and the (applicant's) history, but the authority to issue a license is with the district collector." The police were determined to maintain law and order in the district, he averred.