Licensed owners told to deposit weapons

Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar has ordered all persons licensed to hold weapons in the twin cities to deposit their arms at their respective police stations or with licensed dealers. This is being done ahead of the biennial elections to the Legislative Council from the graduates constituency.

In his notice, Mr Kumar said this was being done “in the interest of public peace and tranquility.”

The notice read: “All the holders of arms licenses residing in twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad except those issued to persons employed on guard duty in the premises of nationalised banks, public sector



undertakings and security personnels, sports persons who are members of the National Rifle Association at different levels and have to participate in sporting events in which they need to use their rifles, shall deposit their weapons with police stations concerned or authorised arms dealers before  March 7.”

Mr Kumar said penal action would be initiated against erring persons by confiscating the weapons and prosecuting them under the appropriate provisions of law. The deposited weapons may may be taken back by the license holders on or after March 30, after the completion of the election process.