HC asks DGP for details of arms in state armouries, missing ones

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Punjab state police chief to furnish details of weapons deposited with the state armoury at different police stations as well as details of any firearm that has gone missing from there.
Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj of the high court has passed these orders while hearing a plea regarding disappearance of a .30M1 carbine from the state armoury in Tarn Taran district. The petition, filed by Daljit Singh, a close relative of deceased Subedar Major Malawa Singh, whose weapon has gone missing, has sought possession of the carbine.
Expressing surprise over the turn of events, the high court, in its order released on Tuesday observed: "The present case reflects the sorry state of affairs where a .30M1 carbine has gone missing from the state armoury... The status report filed by the senior superintendent of police of Tarn Taran merely shows that the weapon had been originally licensed to Subedar Major Malawa Singh, son of Jawala Singh, and which was undisputedly deposited with the Police Station City Tarn Taran. The allegation is that one Bakhshish Singh had removed the said weapon in a clandestine manner and that a final report has also been filed, but the weapon has not been recovered. The authorities have failed to take adequate and appropriate steps to effect recovery of the weapon."
On January 6, 1965, Subedar Major Malawa Singh, a resident of Varowal, Khadoor Sahib, was issued a .30M1 carbine by ordnance depot Jabalpur. On June 18, 1984, the ex-servicemen deposited the carbine in police station city Tarn Taran and he died on July 11, 1985.
After the ex-serviceman's death, his family authorised the petitioner to get the weapon transferred in his name.
However, it was discovered that the weapon was missing from police custody. An inquiry revealed that the police had issued that carbine to one Bakshish Singh. However, now the weapon is neither available with police nor with Bakshish Singh, who has claimed that he had already returned the carbine to the police.
The matter has been adjourned for March 16.