Bengaluru, March 10 Former Home Minister and BJP MLA Araga Jnanendra urged the Karnataka government to issue gun licences to residents of the Malnad region on Tuesday, citing a rise in theft and robbery cases in rural areas.
Raising the issue in the Assembly during the Question and Answer session, Jnanendra said that many people in the region live in isolated houses amidst farms and plantations, which makes them vulnerable to crime. He also alleged that the police were refusing to issue gun licences.
“People live in single houses amidst farms, and the spate of theft incidents has caused concern. Women are living in panic,” he said.
Referring to crime data from the past three years in Thirthahalli and Shivamogga, he said that statistics of cases had been presented, but there was no mention of convictions.
“The Malnad region has never seen such a proportion of theft cases earlier. Earlier, people coming to commit crimes could not easily operate in the region, especially because locals were given licences to keep guns,” he said.
Jnanendra said that farmers living in single houses amidst coffee estates earlier possessed guns for self-protection, which deterred criminal activity. However, authorities were now refusing permission for farmers to possess firearms.
“We do not use them indiscriminately. Not even a single bird is shot. During the British period, a large number of people in our taluk possessed guns. Now licences are being denied,” he said.
He urged the government to renew existing licences and grant fresh permissions to farmers, claiming that theft cases had increased sharply.
“The accused even has informants. Some of them have been caught in Mumbai and Karwar. Only one or two cases were detected,” he said.
The MLA also alleged that police acted only when pressure was exerted and questioned the safety of people living in isolated houses.
“Robberies have also started occurring. Women are panicked. Despite staff shortages, police personnel from the Malnad region are being sent for the chief minister’s security during his visits to other districts,” he said.
Jnanendra further alleged that highway vigilance squads were not functioning effectively and claimed to have witnessed illegal transportation of sand.
“I saw five loads of loose sand being transported illegally. When I passed on the information to the squad, the message was not received. It appears there is collusion,” he alleged.
Responding to the concerns, Home Minister G. Parameshwara said that the police department was taking necessary steps and rejected claims of negligence.
He said that Shivamogga district has 38 police stations, including six police stations and three outposts in Jnanendra’s constituency.
“I do not think the statistics are alarming. However, we will initiate all necessary action,” he said. Parameshwara added that surveillance infrastructure had been strengthened in the district.
“There are about 30,000 CCTVs installed in the district, including around 16,000 in Shivamogga city and about 3,000 in Thirthahalli. I do not think there is negligence in initiating action,” he said.
He also said that there are 25 highway patrolling units operating in the region and maintained that it was incorrect to claim that police were inactive.
“I have given directions to prevent robberies and thefts. There is no negligence by the police,” he said.
Jnanendra objected that the Home Minister had not addressed his demand for easier access to gun licences and insisted that firearm possession was a long-standing practice in the Malnad region.
On the issue of gun licences, Parameshwara said that there was a clear procedure for obtaining them. Applicants must submit a request, after which the police issue a No Objection Certificate. The Deputy Commissioner then grants the licence after verifying factors such as age, physical and mental fitness, and criminal background.
“The police will not recommend negatively unless the applicant has criminal cases,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Channabasappa Tunga also raised concerns, alleging that a “chaddi gang” was operating in the area and that incidents of cattle theft had increased.