MP man wins battle for knife licence, 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.

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.