TN: Police ‘requests’ tribals to surrender unlicensed country-made guns voluntarily

Chennai, May 27 (IANS) Tirupattur Police in Tamil Nadu has “requested” the tribals of Jawadhu Hills to surrender their country-made guns voluntarily and in return get a general amnesty.

Police have communicated to the village heads of Jawadhu Hills to surrender the guns at a common place like temples so that the identity of those in procession of the guns is not revealed.

The Tirupattur Superintendent of Police Albert John told IANS that recently during a routine vehicle checkup, police seized some unlicensed guns leading to the convening of a meeting of the village elders and asking them to surrender these guns.

Police said that there are 177 licensed guns in the district which were surrendered in the local police stations in the district due to the Lok Sabha elections.

The natives of Pudur Nadu, Nellivasal Nadu and Pungampattu Nadu in Jawadhu Hills have had a tradition of keeping illegal arms since pre-independence days. This was for hunting as also for protecting themselves against theft and to deliver the hill and forest produce to the local markets and safely return back to the villages.

Police said that there is no requirement for such illegal and unlicensed country-made guns for the villagers and hence “requested” them to surrender these unlicensed guns.

–IANS

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