Guns and poses: As Punjab govt halts issuing arms licences, sales at gun houses dwindle

Jupinderjit Singh

Named after a former British Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, Cooper Road has long been known as the go-to place for buying firearms in the region. Four gun houses situated near Bhandari Bridge bear testimony to Punjab’s fascination for firearms, and also the felt need to have a personal weapon for protection.

As one enters one of the gun houses, Jaswant Singh and Co., the owners wear a quizzical look. It has been almost 10 months since a customer walked in with a new arms licence. The widespread criticism of Punjab’s gun culture, after the killing of rapper Sidhu Moosewala, had resulted in a crackdown. The AAP government tightened the issuance of arms licences, got inspections conducted of all existing ones and cancelled several licences, including those of individuals with a criminal background.

Licence rules and regulations

• The Indian Arms Act of 1878 mandated a licence for carrying a gun. The legislation also regulated the manufacturing, sale and purchase of firearms.
• In 1907, the British made a distinction between weapons for security personnel and civilians, giving rise to the terms ‘prohibited’ and ‘non-prohibited’ weapons.
• There have been several amendments. The latest Arms Licence Rules were issued in 2016. These require the District Magistrates to conduct thorough checks, including testing the weapons.
• Firearms cannot be openly brandished and should be kept in a holster in public places.
• The rules state that a person can acquire an arms licence if he/she has a valid reason, although what constitutes a valid reason is not explicitly defined, leaving considerable discretion in the hands of the authorities.

Firearm in much demand

• High in demand, .45 bore Colt pistol is imported from USA and made locally. It’s a weapon Sidhu Moosewala possessed.
• Once sold for Rs 15 lakh, prices have come down to Rs 2.5-3.5 lakh after Webley and Malhotra started production in India.

As of June 28 this year, the number of arms licences in the state was 3,46,153, with nearly 4.38 lakh registered weapons. According to Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav, the state is home to 2 per cent of the country’s population, but has nearly 10 per cent of the total registered firearms.

The number of weapons is higher than the licences as one can have two or three in select categories against each licence.

Manbir Singh, from Jaswant Singh and Co., has a smiling face and is quick-witted, but cannot conceal the despondency surrounding the business. Manbir incidentally is the maternal grandson of Master Tara Singh, a prominent figure in Sikh politics before and after Independence.

Inventory at gun houses

Pistol .45 bore Champion (Webley and Malhotra)

.32 bore revolver (Webley)

.32 bore revolver (Stallion)

.12 bore pump action gun (Stallion and Rajput)

30-06 rifle and .315 bore rifle (Indian Ordnance factory)

Manbir took over the business in 1989-90, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. “During their time, possessing a weapon was a symbol of VIP status. Even our bicycle-riding milk vendor carried a gun. Things changed during the terrorism days. Business peaked towards the end of militancy, just as I had taken over. Suddenly, businessmen, particularly jewellers, lawyers and doctors flocked to acquire weapons. People owned a legal, non-prohibited weapon sanctioned under the licence, but also possessed more lethal and illegal weapons to flaunt privately.”

The preferred choice was the imported .12 bore shotgun, primarily used for hunting, and .32 pistols. However, around 2000, new restrictions were imposed and obtaining a gun licence became more of a hassle than a matter of pride. “I run a gun house, but I found the process so troublesome that I surrendered my licence. I am possibly one of the few gun house owners without a personal arms licence,” he chuckles.

The present times are the most challenging. “In anticipation of the change, we ventured into manufacturing air rifles, which is allowed under certain provisions. We had to adapt, as I can’t recall having seen a new customer in several months. But we do sell air rifles all over the country, sometimes 500 in a month. It’s not bad,” Manbir adds.

Jaswinder Singh Bindra runs the gun house named after his father, its founder Harnam Singh. He worked at an ordnance factory in Rawalpindi before Partition. A faded board proclaims the ownership of Harnam Singh and Sons “of Rawalpindi” (Pakistan). It was installed when the shop was opened in 1947. A relatively new board proudly states: “Since 1947.” The older board entices customers with a World War-II vintage telescope-fitted rifle and a six-bullet revolver. The newer one displays a modern pistol and a double-barrel .12 bore shotgun.

“There are no new weapon sales anymore. Our livelihood relies solely on repairing weapons,” Bindra states curtly.

Rohit Bhatia, who has been running JR Bhatia Gun House along with his brother Karan since 1988, has taken up the mantle to “save the gun houses”. He advocates relaxation in the licence procedures or, at the very least, a speedy clearance of the backlog. “There are more than 700 applications pending in Amritsar district alone. I have written to both the Punjab and Central governments to relax the norms or process the applications approved by the police,” he says. “People no longer seek licensed weapons to show off, self-defence is the primary motivation. And how many licensed weapons are used in crimes? Not even 1 per cent. Gangsters and robbers typically resort to prohibited and sophisticated weapons. Many shopkeepers are seeking weapons to defend themselves in the wake of targeted killings and ransom calls.”

Rohit also mentions that the only silver lining is the trend of weapon upgrade. “In the past, people preferred .32 bore pistols, but now they are upgrading to .45 bore. The process of upgrading is tedious, but it is possible.”

Ironically, while successive governments have imposed restrictions on the sale and purchase of licensed arms, the proliferation of unlicensed weapons continues. Over 800 illegal weapons were recovered in Punjab between March 2022 and the corresponding month this year.

Under the revised Arms Rules of 2016, .45 bore firearms were categorised as non-prohibited, aligning with the government’s policy to promote gun manufacturing under the ‘Make in India’ campaign. Webley and Scott, among other companies, now manufactures guns in India. Its factory is located at Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh. Bhatia questions, “More than 100 companies are in the manufacturing business but the irony is, where will they sell the weapons? They can’t expect to export all of them.”

Ludhiana’s once-thriving gun house industry, too, is witnessing a sharp decline. The disinterest of the younger generation in the business is a key factor. According to the police commissionerate, the city has 19 gun stores, but only 10 are operational. Some owners have even applied for licence cancellations due to their children’s lack of interest. The owner of a gun house near Bharat Nagar Chowk, who prefers anonymity, says: “My grandfather started this shop about three decades ago, and my father ran it afterwards. I had no interest, but my father insisted I continue the business. There’s no charm in it. I have a side business in garments to raise earnings. I will not pass on this trade to my children.”

The scarcity of skilled gunsmiths is another challenge. Some stores are managing operations without trained staff.

Many individuals now travel to gun factories in Kanpur to purchase firearms after obtaining licences. Store owners suggest mandated sales in states as per the buyer’s domicile and setting up of shooting ranges.

Dr Nahar Singh, an expert in folklore and Punjabi culture, says the trend of brandishing guns is deeply rooted. “Throughout history, Punjabis have faced wars, invasions and internal conflicts, which have ingrained violence into our collective psyche. As a result, owning guns became necessary for self-defence and symbolised strength and heroism.”

“Unfortunately,” he adds, “despite the changing times, the remnants of this culture persist. It is amusing that people seek security or obtain a licence but later use these to exhibit their strength and status.”

In May last year, days before the killing of Moosewala, Giani Harpreet Singh, the then officiating Jathedar of the Akal Takht, sparked a controversy with his remarks that every Sikh should possess a licensed weapon “because such are the times and circumstances”. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and the Congress, the principal Opposition party, were quick to criticise, saying that instead of glorifying weapons, the Jathedar should spread the message of peace and harmony.

Honey Mansahia, a Mansa resident, got an arms licence for “self-defence” in 1998. “I surrendered it soon as I was young at the time and felt carrying a weapon was a huge responsibility.” He got a new licence in 2006. Though an all-India licence, its validity is restricted as each state and UT has different rules. “It is a hassle to keep a licence,” he says. “The worst part is that all licence holders are made to deposit weapons during elections while those possessing illegal weapons go scot-free.”

An arms licence holder from Ludhiana talks of the predicament: “I am a businessman and want to keep a weapon for self-defence. Going by the crime rate, having one is reassuring. Police cannot guard everyone. But over the years, there have been so many checks that even a person in genuine need feels really hassled.”

(Inputs from Neeraj Bagga in Amritsar and Nikhil Bhardwaj in Ludhiana)