Guns: New Toys for the Rich and Mightly
By Vikram Sharma & Srinath Vudali 03 May 2011 12:47:00 AM IST
HYDERABAD: Call it a status symbol or fear of being attacked by opponents, possession of guns is quite rampant in the twin cities, particularly in settling land deals. Chandrayangutta, the place where MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi was shot at and stabbed on the morning of April 30, alone has a mind-boggling 250 gun licence holders out of 600 weapon licences in the South Zone (Old City). The figure, sources say has gone up sharply in recent years.
"Fights over land deals or simply as a status symbol, there are 250 gun licence holders in Chandrayangutta. Most of them move around with the weapon tucked in their trousers,'' police sources told City Express.
Some of them even own not one but two firearms. What is more surprising is that most licence holders purchase the .32 Smith and Wesson which costs between Rs 2.75 to Rs 3 lakh.
"Many residents of Chandrayangutta have made huge money in property deals. They do not mind spending their wealth on guns saying it is for their own safety. But with these guns around, you never know what might happen next," sources said.
The maximum number of gun licence, however, are in the West Zone, in areas like Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Punjagutta and Sanjeevareddy Nagar, where politicians, industrialists and film stars reside. "In these area, it is mostly a status symbol. During checks, we found many of them carrying them in their cars,'' sources said.
"There are nearly approximately 2,500 gun licence holders with about 6,000 guns in use (some even own three)," West Zone deputy commissioner of police, Stephen Ravindra said.
As per the rules, each gun licence holder can have a maximum of three guns. In West Zone, officials said each gun licence holder maintains a minimum of two guns. In Central Zone areas like Saifabad, Nampally, Abids, Begum Bazar, Narayanguda, there are 770 gun licence holders having 1,025 weapons, which implies each owner has more than one weapon.
Officials said there are 250 revolvers, 300 rifles and 130 pistols owned by individuals in the Central Zone. Similarly, in the North zone areas like Secunderabad, Begumpet, Bowenpally and Marredpally, there are about 700 licence holders. In Hyderabad police commissionarate, there are more than 5,170 gun licence holders, possessing nearly 10,000 weapons, sources said.
However, 10,000 weapons used in the twin cities is besides several thousands guns permitted by the Cyberabad police commissionarate.
It is learnt that illegal weapons, mostly country-made pistols are at least three times the official number of guns used. "The thriving gun culture speaks volumes about the threat it poses to many in Hyderabad," a senior police official said.
"Fights over land deals or simply as a status symbol, there are 250 gun licence holders in Chandrayangutta. Most of them move around with the weapon tucked in their trousers,'' police sources told City Express.
Some of them even own not one but two firearms. What is more surprising is that most licence holders purchase the .32 Smith and Wesson which costs between Rs 2.75 to Rs 3 lakh.
"Many residents of Chandrayangutta have made huge money in property deals. They do not mind spending their wealth on guns saying it is for their own safety. But with these guns around, you never know what might happen next," sources said.
The maximum number of gun licence, however, are in the West Zone, in areas like Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, Punjagutta and Sanjeevareddy Nagar, where politicians, industrialists and film stars reside. "In these area, it is mostly a status symbol. During checks, we found many of them carrying them in their cars,'' sources said.
"There are nearly approximately 2,500 gun licence holders with about 6,000 guns in use (some even own three)," West Zone deputy commissioner of police, Stephen Ravindra said.
As per the rules, each gun licence holder can have a maximum of three guns. In West Zone, officials said each gun licence holder maintains a minimum of two guns. In Central Zone areas like Saifabad, Nampally, Abids, Begum Bazar, Narayanguda, there are 770 gun licence holders having 1,025 weapons, which implies each owner has more than one weapon.
Officials said there are 250 revolvers, 300 rifles and 130 pistols owned by individuals in the Central Zone. Similarly, in the North zone areas like Secunderabad, Begumpet, Bowenpally and Marredpally, there are about 700 licence holders. In Hyderabad police commissionarate, there are more than 5,170 gun licence holders, possessing nearly 10,000 weapons, sources said.
However, 10,000 weapons used in the twin cities is besides several thousands guns permitted by the Cyberabad police commissionarate.
It is learnt that illegal weapons, mostly country-made pistols are at least three times the official number of guns used. "The thriving gun culture speaks volumes about the threat it poses to many in Hyderabad," a senior police official said.
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