Director General of Police, Telangana Jitender has directed a review of arms licences issued in the State, with focus on outdated permits, inactive licensees and illegal firearms.
At a meeting held on Friday (May 23), the DGP disclosed that Telangana has 7,125 valid arms licences and 9,294 registered weapons. However, only 510 new licences were issued in the past three years, suggesting a slowdown in fresh approvals. DGP Jitender instructed Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to examine licences that have come under adverse notice.
He flagged several categories for scrutiny, including licences granted to sportspersons who are no longer active in competitions, those who haven’t purchased weapons despite having a licence, individuals who possess weapons but have not procured ammunition in years, and those whose licences have lapsed or whose weapons lie unused in armouries.
“A zero-tolerance policy must be followed when it comes to the movement of illegal arms,” he added.
The meeting was attended by senior police officers, including ADGP (Law and Order) Mahesh M. Bhagwat, CP Rachakonda G. Sudheer Babu, IGP MZ-I S. Chandra Sekhar Reddy, and other top officials from Cyberabad, Hyderabad and Jogulamba districts.
Published – May 23, 2025 08:21 pm IST
