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A sting operation had exposed the rampant sale of dangerous knives in Bilaspur.
Court observed that such unchecked availability of knives directly threatens public safety, particularly given Bilaspur’s troubling record of stabbing incidents.(AI generated image)
In a significant move addressing growing public safety concerns, the Chhattisgarh High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of a sting operation exposing the rampant sale of dangerous knives in Bilaspur.
The bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru, while hearing a PIL acted upon a Dainik Bhaskar report published on August 14, 2025, which highlighted the thriving market for sharp weapons being sold without checks in local shops.
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The investigative report titled “Hathiyaro Ka Khula Bazar – 100 se 500 rupaye me aasani se uplabdh designer chaku” revealed that folding knives, button knives, and other sharp-edged weapons were easily available across Bilaspur. The sting team reported purchasing knives from general stores, gift shops, and paan shops without being questioned about their purpose. Alarmingly, these transactions were conducted seamlessly via UPI payments.
Court observed that such unchecked availability of knives directly threatens public safety, particularly given Bilaspur’s troubling record of stabbing incidents.
In the past seven months alone, 120 cases of stabbings have been reported, leading to seven fatalities and over 120 injuries. Many of these violent incidents, the court noted, arose from trivial disputes, making the unrestricted sale of knives even more concerning.
The bench further highlighted that sharp weapons were being sold under the guise of kitchen items and bottle openers. Shopkeepers are even willing to sell these weapons to minors without any scrutiny, the order noted, adding that this lack of oversight poses a grave danger to society.
Appearing for the State, Advocate General Prafull N Bharat, assisted by Deputy Advocate General Shashank Thakur, admitted that the problem extended beyond physical markets, as such knives were also available on online platforms. He sought time to seek instructions in respect of one shopkeeper named in the newspaper report for openly selling an assortment of knives.
Despite the police registering cases under the Arms Act in previous incidents, the bench observed that current measures have not been effective in tackling the alarming rise in knife-related violence. It underscored the need for stricter regulation and robust enforcement to ensure that dangerous weapons are not sold freely in local markets.
Recognising the seriousness of the issue, the High Court ordered the impleadment of the Principal Secretary, Home Department, Chhattisgarh, as a respondent in the case. Court directed the officer to file a personal affidavit detailing the steps taken to curb the illegal sale of sharp weapons in the state. Court directed the Advocate General to promptly communicating the order to the Home Department.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 25, 2025.
About the Author
Salil Tiwari, Senior Special Correspondent at Lawbeat, reports on the Allahabad High Court and courts in Uttar Pradesh, however, she also writes on important cases of national importance and public interests fr…Read More
Salil Tiwari, Senior Special Correspondent at Lawbeat, reports on the Allahabad High Court and courts in Uttar Pradesh, however, she also writes on important cases of national importance and public interests fr… Read More
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