Come April 2019, names of all arms licence holders - new or old - will be included in a national database and they will be issued a unique identification number (UIN), according to the Home Ministry. The move is aimed at keeping a tab on authorised private gun holders, many of whom are often found involved in crimes and celebratory firing leading to loss of lives.

Every licensing and renewing authority will have to enter the data in the National Database of Arms Licenses system, which will generate a UIN, and with effect from April 1, 2019, any arms licence without UIN shall be considered invalid, the ministry said in a notification.