Several arms licences would soon be cancelled in Patna district as people have been found flouting rules to indulge in criminal activities with the weapons.

In a bid to check spiralling crime graph and tighten the noose around criminals, the police have initiated the process. The move has gained momentum with several district police chiefs preparing a list of “offenders”.

Patna superintendent of police (rural) Manoj Kumar said he had identified over a dozen such “offenders”. Kumar said a proposal for cancellation of arms licences of people living in Mokama, Goshwari and Barh police stations in Patna rural has already been submitted to the district magistrate.

He said the police had enough evidence against these licensed arms holders.

“We have substantial evidences showing their involvement in unlawful activities and use of licensed weapons for this,” Kumar said, adding that Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Singh had sought an explanation from the licensees within a week before taking any punitive action.

Sources said Kailash Yadav and Mukesh Yadav — both of Mokama — used their weapons to intimidate their rivals. Similarly, Baidyanath, Ravindra Yadav and Shanker Yadav, said to be residents of Saksohra in Barh sub-division, opened fire causing grievous injuries to a local resident. “The shots were fired not in self-defence but with an intention to kill the rival,” an investigating officer said.

He said the arms licences had been allotted for protection of the licensee and not to kill anybody. “No doubt, you have been provided the weapon for protection. But it doesn’t mean that you are free to use it for ulterior motive,” SP Kumar said.

A senior police officer said that even relatives of a few Maoists have been allotted arms licences in Rohtas and Kaimur districts. Even the wife of jailed self-styled CPI(Maoist) area commander Sudama Oraon had been allotted arms licence by Rohtas district magistrate Anupam Kumarfor self-protection.

Muzaffarpur senior superintendent of police Rajesh Kumar has recommended cancellation of arms licences of four persons, including one deputy major, Syed Mazid Khan. “The recommendations for cancellation of their arms licences have already been sent to the district magistrate for necessary action,” Kumar said. Rohtas superintendent of police Manu Maharaj also confirmed that his office recently sent recommendations for cancellation of arms licences of six-odd persons for misuse of their firearms.