Latest news with #SubhashSinghTomar
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Time of India
Indore man wins battle for sword/knife license, but can't find a shop that sells
Indore: After a seven-year legal battle, a 57-year-old technical education facilitator from Indore has finally been granted a licence to possess a sharp-edged weapon by the district administration. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Now that Subhash Singh Tomar has got the licence, he has nowhere to buy such a weapon. He discovered that there is no licensed firm within the country that manufactures and sells sharp-edged weapons — an ironic hurdle in his pursuit. Tomar has said that his intention behind seeking the licence was not only for personal protection but to draw attention to the criminal cases often unfairly lodged against tribal communities in western Madhya Pradesh for possessing swords, khukris and daggers that are integral to their agriculture and daily livelihoods. He said that his legal fight commenced in 2017 after he studied the Arms Act of 1959 and filed numerous RTI applications to understand govt documents and legal intricacies related to such licences. ADM Roshan Rai confirmed that Tomar has been issued a licence valid for three years, permitting him to keep one of the specified weapons — a sword, khukri or dagger — within Indore district limits until April 8, 2028. The licence was issued on the directive of Indore bench of MP high court, following the Indore divisional commissioner's order, as the application was initially rejected at the ADM's office, reportedly due to 'unclear instructions' regarding giving licences for sharp-edged weapons. "I had to fight at many levels due to lack of clarity in Arms Act for the sharp weapon licence that costs only Rs 500. This fight was meant to generate public awareness," he said, adding his battle is half won as there is no licensed industry to manufacture and sell sharp-edged weapons. "I will now apply at the ADM office for further directions. If I fail to get any, I will again approach the court," he said.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Time of India
Indore man wins court battle for sharp edged weapon license but faces purchase hurdle
Indore: After a protracted legal battle spanning seven years, a 57-year-old technical education facilitator from Indore was finally granted a licence to possess a sharp-edged weapon by the district administration. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This case is being hailed as potentially the first of its kind in the country. However, despite securing the landmark licence, the applicant, Subhash Singh Tomar , is still unable to purchase the weapon. He discovered that there is currently no licensed industry within the country that manufactures and sells such sharp-edged weapons, creating an ironic hurdle in his pursuit. Tomar clarified that his intention behind seeking the licence was not only for personal protection but to draw attention to the criminal cases often unfairly lodged against tribal communities in western Madhya Pradesh for possessing tools like swords, khukris, and daggers, which are integral to their agriculture and daily livelihoods. He said that his legal fight commenced in 2017 after he studied the Arms Act of 1959 and subsequently filed numerous RTI applications to understand govt documents and legal intricacies related to such licences. ADM Roshan Rai confirmed that Tomar was issued a licence valid for three years, permitting him to keep one of the specified weapons – a sword, khukri, or dagger – within the Indore district limits until April 8, 2028. The licence was issued on the directive of the Indore bench of the High Court, following the Indore divisional commissioner's order, as the application was initially rejected at the ADM's office, reportedly due to 'unclear instructions' regarding giving licences for sharp-edged weapons. "I have to fight at many levels due to lack of clarity in the arms act to get the licence, costing only Rs 500, of a sharp-edged weapon, just to generate public awareness," he said, adding it's still a half-battle win as there is no licensed industry to manufacture and sell the sharp-edged weapons. "I will now apply at the ADM office for further directions and if I fail to get any, I will again approach the court," he said.
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Indore man gets licence for sharp weapons after 8-year legal battle
Indore, A technical education facilitator from Indore has been granted a licence to keep sharp-edged weapons by the district administration after an eight-year-long legal battle, in what is being claimed as the first such case in the country. The licensee, Subhash Singh Tomar , clarified that his aim was not to carry weapons for personal use but to highlight criminal cases being lodged against tribal communities in western Madhya Pradesh for possessing such tools, which are often used in agriculture and daily livelihood. An official of the district administration confirmed on Monday that Tomar, a resident of Indore, has been issued a licence to possess sharp-edged weapons for three years. According to the terms of the licence, Tomar is permitted to keep one of the following weapons – a sword, khukri, or dagger – within the limits of Indore district until April 8, 2028. Tomar said his legal battle began in 2017 after he studied the Arms Act 1959, and filed a series of Right to Information applications after studying government documents and legal details. "For the first time in the country, I have received a licence under which I am legally allowed to carry sharp-edged weapons within a designated area," Tomar told PTI. He clarified that his aim was not to carry weapons for personal use but to highlight the plight of tribal communities against whom criminal cases are registered unfairly for possessing such weapons even for farming purposes. "I came to know that several criminal cases were registered under the Arms Act against tribals in western MP for possessing sharp weapons. They use such weapons for farming and cutting grass," he said. Tomar wanted to spread awareness to save these tribals from unfair legal action. "I want to tell people that a license for sharp weapons can also be obtained legally," he added. Initially, Tomar's application was rejected without stated reasons, but he continued his legal pursuit by filing petitions before the Madhya Pradesh High Court. "Some officials even mocked me, questioning whether such a licence could even be issued," he recalled. Additional District Magistrate Roshan Rai confirmed that Tomar has been issued the licence was issued following a directive from the Indore bench of the High Court, based on the order of the Commissioner , Indore Division, dated September 12, 2024. When asked whether this was the first such licence in the country, Rai said, "As of now, I cannot confirm if such a licence has been issued elsewhere in the country, but in Indore, two or three such licences have been issued in the past". However, he did not provide details on whether those licences specifically pertained to sharp weapons or their terms and conditions. The Indore bench of the High Court on February 27 this year directed the district administration to issue a sharp weapon license to Tomar within three weeks, following the order of the Commissioner of Indore Division dated September 12, 2024. Tomar's lawyer, Vishal Srivastava, termed the case a 'historic development in the legal domain,' adding that the administration issued the licence only after a contempt petition was filed for non-compliance with the court's order. He said the case highlights a lack of public awareness regarding the legal process for obtaining licences for sharp-edged weapons and urged the government to introduce a clear policy to address this gap.
