BENGALURU: In view of the Assembly elections, those possessing firearms must compulsorily deposit them with the police. A 55-year-old businessman, when asked by the police to deposit his firearm, was shocked to find that his licensed revolver had been stolen.
The businessman, B Bavadeep Reddy, who resides in Koramangala, owns an NP BORE .32 German-made revolver worth around Rs 1.25 lakh. He had obtained permission from the office of the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner to possess a gun in 2015. Since then, he was renewing the gun licence. At the time of obtaining the same, he was residing in Basavanagudi, before shifting to Koramangala 3rd Block in 2016.
Reddy has filed a complaint with the Koramangala police station after losing his revolver. He is suspected to have lost his firearm in August 2021, when he got the bathroom at his residence renovated.
Reddy got a call from the Basavanagudi police, asking him to deposit his revolver. After searching for it in the entire house, he realised it was missing and also inquired about it with his mother, wife and other family members. Suspecting the involvement of four labourers whom he had hired to renovate the bathroom of his house, he filed a complaint a few days ago.
“The complainant has claimed that he earlier stayed on RV Road in Basavanagudi, when he obtained the gun licence. He has to deposit his firearm in the Basavanagudi police station during the polls. He had obtained the licence for self-defence in August 2015. Since then, he is following the licence terms and conditions by renewing it,” said an officer.
It must be noted that Reddy stayed in Basavanagudi from 1996 to 2016, and then shifted to Koramangala. Since the pandemic in 2020, he had kept it in his bedroom cupboard.
“A case of theft under Section 380 of IPC has been registered, following a complaint from Reddy. It is sheer negligence on part of the complainant to lose his firearm,” the officer added. Further investigations are on.