The Chittoor district police in their primary investigation traced the source of country made Single Barrel Muscle Load (SBMLs) guns to Tamil Nadu. Police started the investigation after seizing 392 SBMLs in the forest fringe areas of Palamner division a week ago.
The police started the investigation to trace out the supply of SBMLs and to restrict the usage of the weapon in the district. The police are under the suspicion that people living in the forest areas are still in possession of at least 2,000 SBML guns. The sources in the police department said that they are taking up two-pronged strategy to totally curb the usage of SBMLs in the district. One is to stop the supply of SBMLs to the district and another is to identify and seize the SMBLs in the possession of public.
At times, police found out that villagers use the weapon to kill their rivals and this was noted in a few incidents in the past.