Small Firearms in Police Domain & Days of ‘Anarchists’ in Bengal, 1905-1915

Abstract

Today, nations across the world face the challenge of ‘terrorist attacks’, separatist movements and fundamentalism. To effectively tackle it authorities are investing energy, wealth, and law and order controlling apparatuses of uniformed forces. Anarchists having sophisticated arms and force states to invest in sophisticated weapons. Careful planning goes towards the upkeep of armouries to prevent arms and ammunition from falling into the hands of revolutionaries. The Arms Act of 1878 of British India amended existing laws regarding license, retail arms business stopped zamindars from possessing arms, aided arrest of revolutionaries, and curbed gun-running and confiscation. Strict vigilance by policemen, however, made them targets of 'revolutionary bullets’.