Cops seize guns after celebratory firing at Malda volleyball event
Times of India | 25 January 2025
Malda: Celebratory firing in the air during a local volleyball tournament inauguration at Malda's Manikchak on Thursday prompted police on Friday to seize the licensed firearms and file charges against the four persons involved for violating the Arms Act.
As part of celebrating Netaji's birthday on Thursday, Tiptop Club under Manikchak police station arranged a volleyball tournament at Nurpur Pathan Para. The club invited a local Trinamool Congress neta, Soumyadip Sarkar — incidentally the son-in-law of local MLA Sabitri Mitra — as chief guest.
Sarkar appeared jubilant when the organisers fired at least four rounds in the air to celebrate the inauguration. While club organisers refused to speak publicly, some claimed this had always been part of their tradition. The tournament concluded safely, but after a video of the shooting went viral, police initiated action. Cops said although the guns were licensed, firing in this manner violated the law.
Malda SP Pradeep Yadav said: "This action is a clear violation of rules and the Arms Act. Consequently, the licences and firearms in question were seized, and an FIR was registered under Section 30 of the Arms Act against the license-holders."
The owners of the guns were identified as Mansoor Ahmed Khan, Mohammed Aminur Rahman Khan, Alkama Khan Chaudhary and Mohammad Bakhtawar Khan, all residents of Nurpur Pathan Para. The four could not be reached for comment.
Mitra said: "It is true that MLA and panchayat members of the area belong to Trinamool. I, too, was supposed to go there. But the club is not ours (office-bearers are not party post holders). The firing took place after the inauguration. So, what happened thereafter is not our responsibility."
The Arms Act, 1959, under which the four have been charged, includes bailable offences. It specifies that violation of the rules or conditions of a licence may lead to imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to Rs 2,000 or both.