PHIDIM: In response to a 35-day ultimatum given by the government to the public to surrender illegal weapons, Taplejung District Police Office today said it had received 125 firearms, from across the district.

According to statistics provided by the Provincial Police Office, Biratnagar, this is the highest number of firearms handed over to DPO, in Province 1.

Taplejung DPO Chief and Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjaya Singh Thapa said, "So far, 10 licensed weapons and 85 other illegal firearms were surrendered to the police. With this, police have received altogether 40 licenced firearms and five-round bullets of 12 barrel shotguns.

During the search operation, police also recovered one revolver and three rounds of bullets in the district, Thapa shared.

According to Police Inspector Anil Paudel, who is also the Panchthar District Police Office Communication Officer, 33 illegal firearms were handed over to police in the district. However, majority of them were muskets and home-made guns, Paudel added.

In the presence of Chief District Officer (CDO) Anuj Bhandari, chief of all the security agencies, local businessmen, political leaders and others, police today displayed all surrendered illegal weapons.

During the period, police collected altogether 205 firearms from 14 districts in Province 1.

On March 14, the government had set the deadline for the general public to hand over firearms, such as rifles, revolvers and ammunition they possessed illegally 'to maintain law and order'.