Indore man gets licence for sharp weapon after 8-year legal battle

Indore: A technical education facilitator from Indore has been granted a licence to keep a sharp-edged weapon 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 (57), 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 (RTI) 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 (Revenue), 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 (Revenue) 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.