Chandigarh, Feb. 13 -- On March 29, 2019, Neha Shoree, the then zonal licensing authority of the food and drug administration, Punjab, was in her office when a man walked in and pumped multiple bullets into her, killing her on the spot. The accused, later identified as Balwinder Singh, a chemist whose shop had been shut over a decade earlier at Shoree's orders, then turned the gun on himself and ended his life. Subsequent investigations revealed that he had acquired an arms licence barely 15 days earlier. On August 3, 2024, former Punjab Police AIG Malvinder Singh Sidhu shot dead his son-in-law, Harpreet Singh, a 2011-batch ICAS officer, with his licensed .32-bore pistol at the district courts complex in Sector 43, Chandigarh, amid the latter's divorce proceedings with the officer's daughter. In 2025, two Punjabi singers found themselves on the wrong side of the law after brandishing weapons in public following petty altercations. In July, singer Gill Manuke and his brother were arrested by Mohali police for waving a pistol during a dispute at a gym. In October, singer Prince Randhawa was booked for allegedly opening fire at a property dealer in a road rage incident outside Bestech Mall in Phase 11, Mohali. In both cases, the singers held weapons licences, but it was unclear whether these were still valid. On July 22, 2025, the principal of a private school in Sector 33, Chandigarh, died by suicide, shooting himself with his father's licensed double-barrel gun at his residence. The common thread in all these cases is the presence of licensed weapons, just as was seen in the recent Dhakoli road rage incident where a man shot dead a youngster with his licenced pistol during an altercation over "staring" with the latter's friend. Despite the risks involved, the number of aspirants seeking arms licences in the tricity has only grown in recent years. According to Mohali deputy commissioner Komal Mittal, around 25 people apply for an arms licence every month, but only four to five are approved. In Chandigarh, deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav said 10 to 15 applications are received each month, but only one to two are cleared after thorough verification. "We issue licences only after verifying the credentials and genuineness of the applicant," he said. In Panchkula, about 20 applications are filed every month and around four to five are approved, according to deputy commissioner Srishti Gupta. To acquire an arms licence, an applicant must show a specific and credible threat to life or property through past complaints, disputes, or documented risks. A general sense of fear is not considered sufficient. Sportspersons, such as those involved in shooting disciplines, are also entitled to a licence, but only if they have recognised club membership and competition records. In cases where a person inherits a weapon from a family member, fresh verification is carried out before clearance. The most common ground cited in applications, officials say, is self-defence. But multiple studies in the past have shown that the presence of a weapon at home is associated with a higher risk of fatal injury for residents - through accidental firing, suicidal tendencies, or crimes committed in a fit of rage - rather than serving as a protective factor. Regulatory authorities, however, maintain that thorough background checks are carried out before a licence is issued. An official explained that local police examine criminal records and speak to neighbours for a general assessment. In Haryana, a medical fitness test and firearm training are also mandatory, though clearing these does not guarantee approval, as the final discretion lies with the district magistrate or police commissioner. Dr Gurmukh Singh, a psychiatrist at the Civil Hospital, Phase 6, however, has a differing opinion. "While approving an arms licence application, only the current mental status of the applicant is assessed. There is no foolproof way to evaluate long-term behavioural tendencies through a single medical examination," he said. "Alcohol consumption cannot be detected through routine dope tests conducted during the verification process. In most cases, celebratory firing and other violent incidents occur under the influence of liquor, but this factor often goes undetected during screening," Dr Singh said. Glorification of popular culture also plays a role in the growing demand for weapons. Pam Rajput, Professor (Emeritus), department-cum-centre for women's studies and development, Panjab University, said that youngsters tend to get influenced when they see celebrities flaunting weapons in songs and movies. She also explained the cultural perspective. "Historically, gun culture was more pronounced in Punjab than Haryana but now, it is almost even," Prof Rajput said while adding, "In today's context, there is no social or cultural justification for promoting or celebrating the use of weapons. The civil society must collectively reject this trend," she said....