After the District Police Office (DPO) in Ilam launched an awareness campaign on illegal arms and ammunition, locals from 32 VDCs have voluntarily submitted the weapons to the district administration. The DPO had launched the campaign to make the district free of illegal weapons.[break]
The DPO collected the weapons in two phases during the campaign. In the first phase from January 3 to February 5, the DPO had collected 174 illegal firearms and ammunition from locals. In the first phase locals were asked to voluntarily submit illegal weapons in their possession to the authority.
After many locals were yet to surrender illegal firearms, the DPO extended the submission deadline by 15 days in the second phase. In the extended deadline, the police succeeded in collecting additional 181 illegal guns from the locals.
The DPO made public the voluntarily submitted illegal weapons by organizing a press conference on Thursday. “We are collecting the weapons from the locals fearing that they might be used in illegal activities including by underground outfits,” said DSP Bhim Bahadur Dahal.
Police received 48 firearms from Danabari VDC, 36 from Laxmipur VDC, 31 from Chisapani VDC, 21 from Panchakanya VDC, 11 from Shantipur VDC, 10 from Irautar VDC, 13 from Lumde VDC and 19 from Gajurmukhi VDC among others, informed DSP Dahal. “Apart from the illegal weapons, the police have also collected more than a kilo of explosives.”
According to DSP Dahal, the illegal firearms and ammunition would be disposed of.
Stating that there still are more illegal firearms in local possession, DSP Dahal said, “Police will now launch a search operation to collect the remaining weapons from the locals and initiate legal action against them.”
Various illegal activities occurred in the district with the use of illegal weapons. According to locals, seven people were killed in the district by illegal weapons while dozens sustained injuries at different times.
Likewise, police have lodged cases against 14 people for carrying illegal weapons and 37 others have also been booked, informed DSP Dahal.
According to the existing law, anyone found in possession of illegal arms and ammunition faces jail of up to seven years and fine between Rs 20,000 to Rs 140,000.
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