Jamma land holders of Kodagu, Kodava race exempted unless they have criminal history

Mysuru:  There are 1,266 licenced arms holders in Mysuru and they are required to surrender the weapons to their respective jurisdictional Police Stations till May 27. This is in view of Election Model Code of Conduct that has come into force. This is a step to maintain law and order during elections.

In a press release, City Police Commissioner K.T. Balakrishna has stated that gun licence holders are mandated to deposit their guns, along with the licences, in their jurisdictional Police Station before Mar. 19.

The order has been issued under Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) 1973 Col. 144 and Arms Act 1959 Col. 24 (a) and Col. 24 and people are barred from possession, transportation and display of arms, explosives. There will be no exemption in this rule and only Kodava race and Jamma land holders will be exempted from the rule as weapons are part of their customs and rituals.

“The City and Mysuru District have an exclusive Arms Committee comprising City Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner of Police (law and order), Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police and those needing exemption have to produce relevant documents and state convincing reasons for the exemption. The final authority to grant the exemption rests with the Committee and even with respect to communities, exemption can be denied if the weapon holder is indulging in any criminal activities,” the Police Commissioner said.  

As in Mysuru, Mandya Deputy Commissioner N. Manjushree and Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner B.B. Cauvery have ordered the licenced gun holders to surrender their weapons.

In Kodagu, there are 23,000 weapon holders (Kodava race and Jamma holders) and apart from this, there are 4,350 gun licence holders. While the Kodava race and Jamma holders are exempted from surrendering their weapons, licenced gun holders have to mandatorily deposit the weapons and licences in the jurisdictional Police Stations, said Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy.

Here too, if any person is found to be indulging in any criminal activity, the Police and the District Administration have the powers to confiscate the guns when the Model Code of Conduct is in force. The weapons so deposited may be taken back by a licence holder on or after May 27 after completion of the election process.