Gun culture on rise in Visakhapatnam

VISAKHAPATNAM: A slew of crimes over the past few months are sending shockwaves across the city. An alarming rise in use of fire-arms in criminal cases has become disconcertingly common. If recent incidents are anything to go by, Visakhapatnam, which has been known to be a city of peace and tranquility, is slowly but surely slipping into the world of organised crime, inter-state criminal network and above all, gun culture.  Recently, two unidentified assailants opened fire at realtor V Sai Babu and his son Pavan Naresh at Aganampudi village in the city. Two country-made pistols were left behind by the killers after committing the crime.On March 13, a financier, Venkat Reddy was shot at by three unidentified assailants when he had gone to buy provisions at Akkayyapalem. The police arrested all the assailants including Venkat Reddy's friend G Satti Reddy who was the prime accused in the case.Satti Reddy, a rice mill owner and Venkat Reddy, hailing from Anaparthy in East Godavari district, had settled in Visakhapatnam. Being business partners, they had become family friends and were staying at Akkayyapalem.About a year ago, a dispute broke out between them. Satti Reddy allegedly developed illicit relationship with Venkat Reddy's wife. When Venkat Reddy informed Satti Reddy's wife about their affair, the latter deserted her husband and went away to stay with her parents. Then Satti Reddy decided to eliminate Venkat Reddy.Police later arrested eight persons including Tamilians Mungi Raju, Ananda Raju and Prem Kumar from Chennai for their involvement in the shooting and seized a single barrel gun and a revolver from them.  A few years back, an inter-state gang looted around Rs 10 lakh from a branch of State Bank of India at Visalakshinagar in broad daylight by threatening the staff with guns. At that police had seized around six country-made guns from realtors, businessmen and rowdies in raids on vehicles during night patrol.  Police are yet to ascertain the source of fire-arms used by the criminals in all these cases even after prolonged investigation. However, sources said migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, who have come to settle in Visakhapatnam serve as the racketeers.Besides criminal acts, rising number of applications by businessmen and important personalities for licence to possess fire arms points at their sense of insecurity due to gun culture. Police sources said around 1,000 persons in the city have gun licences with majority of them being realtors and businessmen.  What is alarming is that their number has been steadily rising over the years. The sources said while last year, around 300 persons had applied for gun licence, this year 700 people have already approached police for permission already, the sources said.City-based NGOs and women organisations point out that due to lack of vigil on the part of police, inter-state gangs were involved in offences including snatching and murder. With the city witnessing a boom in industrialisation, workers from various states are thronging here for employment. It would also see a spurt in criminal activities and gun culture, they added.