India, May 22 -- The Allahabad high court has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to provide details of the arms licences issued to politicians Raghuraj Pratap Singh, Dhananjay Singh, Brij Bhushan Singh, Sushil Singh, and 15 other influential people who hold them despite pending criminal cases. Many of the 19 are known as bahubalis or strongmen in Uttar Pradesh politics and include former and serving lawmakers.

"It is the prima facie view of this court that the public display of weapons may create an illusion of dominance, strength, and protection, but it often disrupts social harmony and generates fear and insecurity among ordinary people," said Justice Vinod Diwakar as he heard a petition of jeweller Jai Shankar against the Bhadohi dist...