Acting swiftly on a credible tip received by the district administration, a surprise inspection team led by Tehsildar Bahu, Raju Sambyal and Tehsildar HQ, Mona Chalotra, today raided the premises of Aman Arms Company at Railhead Shopping Complex and unearthed a series of serious violations flagged as of immediate concern to public safety and firearms regulation.
The inspection, carried out under the direct directions of District Magistrate Jammu, Dr. Rakesh Minhas, revealed that the establishment had been operating entirely without a valid arms dealership licence. The dealership licence application of Aman Shop had been rejected in the year 2024, rendering all commercial activity conducted by the shop in the capacity of an arms dealer not only unauthorised, but a direct violation of the Arms Act, 1959 and the Arms Rules, 2016.
More alarmingly, the inspection team recovered multiple Gun Licences from the premises which were last renewed from other districts including Poonch, Kishtwar, Ganderbal, Pulwama.
A number of personal documents belong to license holders were also retrieved. Complaints had also been received by the district administration that the establishment was refusing to return firearms licences to their rightful holders; a practice strongly suggestive of exploitation of licence holders under the pretext of offering renewal or allied facilitation services through unauthorised, illegal means.
The District Magistrate, Dr. Rakesh Minhas, while taking serious cognisance of the violations, has directed that appropriate legal action be initiated against those responsible.
He further reiterated that the district administration will continue to conduct inspections of arms dealerships and enforce full compliance with applicable laws and Home Department directives without exception.
The District Administration, Jammu, once again calls upon all arms licence holders and members of the public to exercise extreme caution and vigilance.
No middleman, agent or unlicensed shop has any authority whatsoever to assist, facilitate, expedite, or accept any payment in connection with the renewal, application or surrender of firearms licences.
All services related to arms licences, including renewal of existing licences, application for fresh licences and surrender of weapons etc, can be accessed conveniently, transparently and without any intermediary through the National Database of Arms Licences — Arms Licensing and Information System (NDAL-ALIS), the official Government of India portal, accessible at https://ndal-alis.gov.in
Citizens are strongly urged to report any individual or establishment soliciting money, licences or documents on the pretext of facilitating arms licence services to the office of the District Magistrate, Jammu.