Gun culture seen rising in city

  Hyderabad: The gun culture in the city is growing by leaps and bounds as people are not hesitating to use firearms to their benefit. While some of them are licensed, others are bought illegally.

In a shocking incident, Sajid from Fathedarwaja Maharaj area, fired gunshots in the air to instill fear in his neighbour during a quarrel that took place at the construction site of his house. His gun-toting behaviour ended with police apprehending him.

In a similar incident at Moosapet, a 60-year-old man, threatened the landlord, who possessed 2,000-yard plot, to vacate the place or else face the gun. The police took the old man into custody and a case was filed against him.

A youth from Bihar came to the city for a livelihood and decided to sell country-made guns with huge profit margins. He used to buy the guns at Rs 8,000-10,0000 and sell them at hefty prices. They posted the same in the WhatsApp group and were caught by police.

Earlier, people had to toil hard to get a gun licence. They had to tell n number of reasons for police approval. Politicians, industrialists, businessmen, police officials, and Army officers were the only persons eligible to get licence in the past. The Police Commissioner in the city and SP in the district have the authority to issue gun licences. But now-a-days people are violating the rules brazenly and finding various ways to get the licence.

Those who are habituated to crimes are buying guns from other states. It is learned that firearms are being transported from Delhi, UP, and Bihar. People, who are migrating from other states, are bringing the guns along and selling them to needy.

The political influence in the police department has also contributed its part to the growing gun culture in the city. Realtors, businessmen, and even street politicians are also threatening the people during land disputes, settlements and gang wars.

V C Sajjanar, the Cyberabad CP, said that they seized guns during assembly elections and sought the details pertaining to them. Ha added that they had cancelled a total of 20 gun licences and would take actions against people, who possessed guns illegally in the city.