Ahmedabad: To prevent knife and other weapon-related crimes, city police have collected 263 sharp and deadly weapons surrendered or abandoned by citizens in 22 police station areas of Sector 2.The two-day special drive was launched on the directions of the police commissioner, with officers using public-address systems in areas prone to offences and fights and appealing to people to voluntarily hand over weapons such as knives, swords and other sharp-edged weapons. The drive received a positive response from citizens.What makes the exercise significant is the police’s approach. Ordinarily, possession of an illegal weapon can attract action under the law, including provisions of the Arms Act. In this drive, however, the police encouraged people to surrender such weapons voluntarily rather than treating the exercise merely as an enforcement operation.The data released by police showed the highest number of weapons surrendered or recovered in the Bapunagar police station area, with 27, followed by Danilimda with 19, Narol with 18, and Gomtipur and Amraiwadi with 17 each. Maninagar accounted for 15, Khokhra 14 and Nikol 13.The initiative covered 22 police stations under zones 4, 5, 6 and 8 in Ahmedabad’s eastern part. Police said knives, swords and dhariyas were being used in bodily offence cases, prompting the special preventive action.Police said several weapons were also found abandoned in public and surrounding areas during patrolling, checking and searches following the appeal. More than 250 knives, dhariyas, swords and other sharp weapons have so far been recovered in an unclaimed condition, the press note said.The police have warned that those who continue to possess illegal weapons and fail to surrender them could face strict legal action during special combing operations planned in the coming days.Officials said the objective was not to harass citizens but to prevent the use of sharp weapons in bodily offences and strengthen law and order. Usually police book people whenever they are found in possession of a weapon.
