755 guns handed over in 6 days

CHANDIGARH: The armoury of police at police lines, Sector 26, has turned into a gallery of weapons surrendered by city residents despite the passage of the last date for depositing them on Wednesday.

As many as 755 firearms of different brands, mostly foreign-made, were surrendered in the armoury since March 8. Nonetheless, the officials are accepting more weapons. The majority of surrendered weapons belong to Smith and Wesson, Winchester, Ruger, Heckler & Koch, and other such brands.

Sources told TOI, “Though residents of suburban areas have submitted double barrel guns in large numbers, residents of sectors and posh areas appeared to be fond of sophisticated weapons.”

During last elections, 585 weapons were surrendered. DSP (police lines) Suman Kumar, who is looking after the armoury, said, “Private gun houses situated in Chandigarh are also authorized to keep licenced weapons. There are around a dozen gun houses in the city and each of them is entitled to store up to 90 weapons.”