Police investigate missing TDP spokesperson’s gun in Andhra Pradesh

Police in the southern Andhra Pradesh districts of Kadapa and Tirupati have opened investigations into a licensed firearm that appears to have vanished from official records, prompting officials to move toward revoking the licence of a prominent regional political figure. The weapon in question belongs to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) spokesperson, Mr B. Venkatesh Reddy, and is alleged to have been discharged during an incident in the village of Nandalur on 21 May. While the incident itself has been the subject of local speculation, the procedural irregularities surrounding the gun have placed both police forces under pressure to demonstrate adherence to the Arms Act and to reassure the public that licensed arms are being monitored rigorously.According to a statement released by the Kadapa Superintendent of Police, the investigation was triggered after a resident of Nandalur reported hearing gunfire near a private residence belonging to the spokesperson’s family..

The complainant, identified only as “Mr S,” claimed that the sound was followed by a brief disturbance and that a police patrol subsequently arrived, only to find no visible damage or casualties. The officer in charge of the local outpost logged the report, but the case stalled when the firearms registration database showed no entry for a weapon matching the description supplied by the complainant. This discrepancy prompted senior officials to request a detailed audit of all licences issued in the district over the past five years.The audit, conducted by a team of forensic auditors from the state’s Directorate of Enforcement, uncovered a gap: a licence issued to Mr Reddy in 2018 for a 0.32‑calibre pistol was listed, but the serial number recorded in the original licence did not correspond with any firearm currently in circulation..

Moreover, the physical verification of the weapon, which was purportedly stored in a locked safe at the spokesperson’s residence, could not be completed because the safe remained sealed and the owner declined to provide access without a court order. The auditors therefore concluded that the firearm might have been either misplaced, illegally transferred, or used without proper documentation, all of which constitute violations of the Arms Act 1959.In response to the audit findings, Kadapa police have filed an application with the district magistrate seeking the immediate cancellation of Mr Reddy’s licence under Section 25 of the Arms Act, which allows authorities to revoke a licence if the holder is deemed a “danger to public safety” or is found to have contravened statutory requirements. The police report cites three primary grounds: the unaccounted‑for discharge of a firearm, the inability to verify the existence of the licensed weapon, and the alleged failure of the licence holder to cooperate with investigative authorities..

If the magistrate grants the application, the licence would be nullified and the firearm, should it be recovered, would be seized and forfeited.The TDP, a major opposition party in the state, has contested the police narrative, describing the move as politically motivated. In a press briefing held at the party’s Kadapa office, spokesperson Mr Reddy’s legal counsel, Advocate M. Raghavendra, asserted that the allegations of firing are “baseless” and that the party has submitted a formal request for an independent inquiry. The party’s state president, Mr N. Chandrasekhar Reddy, warned that any punitive action taken without due process could “set a dangerous precedent for the misuse of law enforcement against legitimate political activity.” The party also highlighted that Mr Reddy has a clean record, having never been implicated in any criminal case since entering politics in 2002.Tirupati police, which shares jurisdiction over the surrounding hinterland, have expressed similar confusion regarding the weapon’s status..

An officer from the Tirupati crime branch, who asked not to be named, explained that the department’s own database also lacks a record of the pistol, despite receiving a request for verification from Kadapa officials last week. “We have cross‑checked our registers and found no entry for a licence under the name of B. Venkatesh Reddy for the period in question,” the officer said. “This raises serious concerns about either an administrative lapse or an unauthorized duplication of a licence, both of which are taken very seriously under the law.”Legal experts note that the situation underscores systemic challenges in the state’s arms licensing regime..

Professor S. Lakshmi Narayanan, a specialist in criminal law at Andhra University, observed that “the licensing process is often fragmented across multiple agencies, and discrepancies like the one we see here can arise from delayed data entry, human error, or deliberate tampering.” He added that the law provides clear mechanisms for revocation but also mandates a thorough hearing, wherein the licence holder can contest the allegations and present evidence of lawful possession. “If due process is followed, the outcome should reflect the factual matrix rather than political considerations,” he said.The incident has also reignited public debate over the prevalence of firearms among politicians in the region. A recent survey by the Centre for Public Policy Research indicated that over 30 percent of elected officials in Andhra Pradesh hold a gun licence, a figure that exceeds the national average..

Critics argue that the concentration of firearms in political circles heightens the risk of intimidation and violent confrontations, especially during electoral campaigns. Supporters, however, contend that the right to bear arms is a constitutional guarantee and that responsible officers and politicians can maintain public safety while exercising that right.In the meantime, the matter has been escalated to the state’s Home Department, which has ordered a joint task force comprising officials from Kadapa, Tirupati, and the state police headquarters to review all pending licences and to tighten verification protocols. The task force is expected to submit a report within 30 days, recommending procedural reforms and, if necessary, disciplinary action against any officials found negligent..

The Home Minister, Mr K. Ravi Kumar, emphasized that “the integrity of our arms licensing system is non‑negotiable,” and assured the public that “any attempt to bypass the law, regardless of the individual’s status, will be met with swift and decisive action.”As the legal and administrative processes unfold, the case remains under close scrutiny by both media and civil‑society watchdogs. Observers note that the outcome could have broader implications for the political climate in Andhra Pradesh, particularly ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections slated for early next year. Whether the licence will be revoked, the firearm recovered, or.