Urban bodies elections-2023: 1,501 Sangam City residents yet to deposit arms despite notices

Meanwhile, 878 people have been granted exemption from depositing their firearms as these people had given valid reasons for their requests

As many as 8,272 people have deposited their licensed arms and bullets, while 1,501 residents were yet to deposit their arms till Thursday evening, records with the district election office of Prayagraj show.

For representation only (HT File Photo)

Notices had been issued to these individuals to deposit their arms at their respective police stations or gun houses in light of the Urban Bodies Elections-2023, voting for which is set to take place in Prayagraj on May 4.

Now, a fresh notice warning of action against those individuals who have arms and ammunition but have not surrendered them, is set to be served, district officials said.

During every election, people against whom cases are registered or who have been involved in any dispute, are asked to deposit their firearms. As a result, for the Civic Polls-2023 also, orders were issued to deposit weapons to selected individuals within a radius of 10 kilometers of the municipal corporation.

Under this exercise, 11,651 people who fell under the criterion and have arms licence, were asked to deposit their weapons and after the nomination process of the polls were asked to submit their respective acknowledgment receipts of having deposited their firearms, with the district election office, officials said.

However, so far just 8,272 people have deposited weapons in the police stations or designated gun houses and submitted the receipt to the designated district officials. As of now, 1501 individuals have failed to comply, city magistrate Satyapriya Singh confirmed.

The screening committee has granted exemption to 878 people from depositing their firearms as these people had given valid reasons for their requests to be granted exemption, due to which the committee has allowed them to keep their firearms, he said. Notices are set to be served to others who have failed to comply with the earlier orders, added Singh.

Meanwhile, candidates in the fray for the civic polls have also started demanding security. The only female candidate in the race for the post of mayor, Abhilasha Gupta, has requested eight women security personnel in her application to the Prayagraj police commissioner. If officials are to be believed, four security personnel are set to be provided to her for the duration of the polls.

Police officers say that many similar applications have come from candidates of national and state level political parties as well. “Reports have been sought from the local intelligence unit (LIU) to ascertain the threat perception of each. Security will be provided on the basis of these reports,” a senior police officer said.