Shyam Gun House holds a collection of antique firearms that once belonged to prominent individuals from the United Provinces. These were deposited under liberal licensing regulations, but are now encountering difficulties due to amendments in the Arms Act.

Located in the heart of Dehradun, Shyam Gun House, previously known as Himalayan Gun House, boasts a collection of antique firearms, including the historic Enfield rifles renowned for their role in the 1857 uprising against British rule. These firearms, along with various century-old weapons such as double-barrel and single-barrel guns were entrusted to the gun shop by their original owners. The firearms remain unclaimed even today.

Weapon enthusiasts report that influential figures like zamindars, lawmakers, and other bureaucrats from the United Provinces (territories in present-day Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand) once owned these guns. They often registered them in multiple family members’ names due to lenient licensing laws. However, as regulations became stricter over time, maintaining numerous weapons became impractical. This led to many depositing the firearms in gun houses, hoping for future retrieval.

These hopes, however, never materialised. The heirs of the original owners showed little interest, likely because stricter Arms Act provisions limited individual weapon ownership. Now, custodians of these unclaimed firearms face significant challenges with bureaucratic obstacles impeding their disposal despite appeals to state and central authorities.

Shyam Sunder, owner of Shyam Gun House in Dehradun, voices concern over the stringent licensing laws coupled with the declining demand for firearms, “The root of the problem lies in the combination of stringent licensing laws and a diminishing demand for firearms, which has led to a significant decline in business viability for gun shop owners. Besides this, the cumbersome process of transferring arms licenses, mired in bureaucratic red tape, hinders the timely disposal of unclaimed weapons.” He stresses the urgent need for a solution to prevent these historic weapons from further deteriorating.

Gun shop owners across India, from Rampur and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh to Bhind and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, face similar issues. Bureaucratic inertia hampers the transfer process, with files often languishing despite regulatory reforms intended to streamline procedures.

The solution may lie with the heritage sector. National museums and galleries across the country can add the treasure trove of these centuries-old guns to their collections and allow the citizens of the country to access the collective heritage of the country.