Ministhy had also cancelled 70 weapon licences in Mainpuri, considered to be Yadav’s stronghold, where she joined as DM this February.

This is the fourth posting for Ministhy, a 2003 batch officer of UP cadre who belongs to Kerala. Earlier, she has served as joint magistrate in Jhansi and Agra. Known to be tech-savvy — she always carries a laptop — Ministhy had posted all land lease records on the government website while she was posted in Shahjahanpur.

A gold-medallist post-graduate in personal management and industrial relations from XLRI-Jamshedpur, the young IAS officer is a prolific writer and has already published three books — Unequal Equations, Learning with Tippy Tortoise: Tales for Kids and Happy Birthday: Poem for Kids. Her fourth book is in the pipeline.

Soon after taking charge as Mainpuri DM, Ministhy cracked the whip on arms shops, most of which allegedly belong to people close to the Samajwadi Party. “Majority of shops belong to influential people, who have direct or indirect political connection. Most of these shops either do not exist or are being run from homes. There are a few that are being run from medical or utensils stores,” an official at the DM office said.

He cited the instance of two shops — Payag Gun House running from a medical store, for which the licence is issued in the name of Mritunjay Yadav, and Sheela Gun House being run from a residence the licence for which has been issued in the name of Sheela Yadav.

Over half-a-dozen licences issued for arms shops — which on reality check were found non-existent — belonged to SP MLC Awdhesh Kumar Yadav, SP MLA Sandhya Katheria and also in the name of Katheria’s father. Licences for arms dealership were also issued in the name of Govind Arms Store and Aman Arms Store — the nephews of Zila Panchayat president Suman Yadav. Both shops do not exist.

The Arms Dealers’ Association president Jaiveer Singh’s brother Surendra Singh had also got an arms dealer’s licence but his shop is nowhere in sight. There is a licence in the name of Bhadauria Gun House, but once again, there is no shop. SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, “They have deliberately chosen this crucial time to take action against the SP leaders and workers.” Meanwhile, the DM has formed a committee comprising senior district and police officials to look into each licence of arms dealership as well as individual weapons.

“Show-cause notice has been issued to all and action is being taken accordingly,” an official at the DM office said. In case of licences for weapons to individuals, there are instances of arms of prohibited bore being issued under non-prohibited category. “The licence for 30.06 Spring Field Rifle is given only to defence personnel after their retirement. The defence personnel, who buy this weapon, are not supposed to sell to common public as this is a prohibited weapon. But it was found in the possession of civilians,” the DM office said, adding about 40 such weapons have been confiscated.