Amid battle for ballots, a police station in Kanpur (over)loaded with silent guns

KANPUR Poll seasons over the years have put an extra burden on Kanpur’s Ghatampur police station - 406 licenced firearms are resting endlessly within the aged walls of the ‘maalkhana’ (storeroom) here for the past 20-24 years as no one has turned up to reclaim them.

The primary reason for this pile-up is the demise of the firearms’ owners and accumulation of guns in wake of the election code of conduct that mandates arms licence holders to deposit their weapons at the police station to ensure law and order, and peaceful conduct of polls.

Of the total 4,148 licenced weapons deposited at this facility before elections in previous years, 2,039 guns came here ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The quaint confines of the Ghatampur police station building depict a tale of the bygone era. Among the 406 unclaimed firearms here are 70 vintage muzzle loading guns dating back to the 1857 revolt era.

“The heirs of owners who passed away are not claiming these guns because of the tedious process of weapons’ transfer. Besides, frequent elections have led to accumulation of firearms in the police station,” said lawyer Manoj Singh.

This effectively makes the police station “an old age home for weapons”.

“People believe that weapons stored at the police station are safer and will be taken care of and protected from any wrongdoing,” said Singh, representing two people who have refused to claim the arms.

Their ground is that the process to deposit and reclaim weapons becomes gruelling because of the frequency of elections, he added

“I am sure there will be more additions to the weapons deposited in the maalkhana. These guns are a headache...we have to maintain and guard them day in and day out. Notices have been sent to the owners, but none have responded,” said an official.

As per records, 30 of the 406 unclaimed guns were deposited in the 2003 assembly elections, 100 in 2007-2009 elections, 200 in 2012-2014 elections and six in 2017 elections. The ‘vintage guns’ used in 1857 were deposited some 25 years ago, said SHO Sumit Kumar Singh.

Apart from these 406, there are 10 other guns whose owners died.

“After the Lok Sabha, elections notices will be pasted on the houses of people who deposited these guns. If they don’t reclaim the guns, the police will be forced to initiate legal action against them,” said ACP (Ghatampur) Ranjit Kumar.

Officials said they undertake thorough inspections and counting of these weapons every month. “Imagine the space and security the guns require...this is a task for us,” he said