Man with a rifle nabbed at KCR's programme

HYDERABAD: City police nabbed three persons for carrying a rifle when Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was inaugurating the 125-foot-tall statue Dr B.R. Ambedkar near NTR Marg on Friday.

City police commissioner C.V. Anand stated that the police would produce before the court three persons — YouTube influencer Dondla Madhu Yadav, his security guard Guru Sahib Singh and driver Vaddinedi Shiva Prakash.

The rifle was found with Prakash. Anand said that Prakash disclosed that the firearm belonged to Singh, ex-Army personnel employed as a private gunman by Madhu of Somajiguda.

On enquiry, Singh told the police that he possessed a licence for two weapons, a rifle and a pistol, that he had acquired from the Poonch district of Jammu Kashmir. Singh stated that he joined Madhu as a gunman on April 1.

Police found that Madhu had not obtained permission from the police to appoint a private armed gunman for his security.

On Friday, Singh handed over the rifle to Prakash, which is against the law and was trying to enter the CM’s programme venue along with Madhu.

Saifabad police registered a case (157/2023) under the Arms Act, 1959 against Prakash for procuring a firearm without possessing a licence and Singh for handing him his weapon without authorisation, Madhu for not seeking permission from the city police for appointing a private armed gunman. The trio were being produced before the court, Anand said.