E-commerce platforms share buyer data; Chhattisgarh police seize 211 knives
The police further revealed that 1,399 cases had been registered under the Arms Act in 2024, with 677 cases recorded between January and June alone, underscoring the scale of the problem.
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The Chhattisgarh High Court has been informed that state police have seized 211 knives from 193 individuals this year after tracing customer details provided by e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, and Shopclues.
The disclosure came during a hearing on a suo motu case initiated by the High Court last month after reports highlighted the easy availability of knives in local shops and online marketplaces, contributing to a surge in stabbing incidents.
According to submissions made on August 25 before the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru, police sought customer records from major e-commerce platforms to identify buyers of knives, excluding kitchen and utility varieties. Based on this data, notices were issued to purchasers and 211 non-kitchen knives were confiscated. Statements of 193 individuals were also recorded.
The police further revealed that 1,399 cases had been registered under the Arms Act in 2024, with 677 cases recorded between January and June alone, underscoring the scale of the problem.
While the Court acknowledged that the State had taken concrete measures, it described the overall data as “alarming” and pressed for stronger vigilance against the unchecked sale of potentially dangerous weapons through online channels, Bar and Bench reported.
“We further hope and trust that the State and its agencies would be more vigilant and take positive steps in curbing the aforesaid menace, which would in turn help in reducing crime relating to the Arms Act in the society,” the Bench observed.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on September 22. Advocate General Prafull N Bharat and Deputy Advocate General Shashank Thakur appeared for the State.
