TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: A number of fire arms deposited with the police in South Goa have been forfeited in favour of the government with the owners not willing to take possession of the arms due to varied reasons.
District Magistrate, South N D Agrawal told the media that around 40-50 private fire arms have been lying at the police stations in South Goa for years now for want of the owners claiming their possession. He said notices issued to some of the owners revealed that they are no more interested in taking back possession of the fire arms, prompting him to pass orders forfeiting the fire arms in favour of the government.
In one case, the legal heirs of a fire arm submitted to the Magistrate that they do not wish to submit their claim in respect of a .22 bore rifle. In another case, an owner of a double barrel gun told the magistrate that he is not interested in the fire arm, adding that his family members too are also not interested to claim the gun which was deposited with the Margao police on May 14, 2007.
In yet another instance, a 77-year-old man said he is not interested in his double barrel gun saying that he will not be able to take care of the arm. “As per rules, notices are to be served on the owner to take possession of the fire arm deposited with the police. I had started the exercise after I came to know during my inspection of the police stations in South Goa that a large number of fire arms are lying unclaimed,” Agrawal said.
