503 country rifles seized in special drive in Chittoor district

CHITTOOR: Superintendent of Police S Senthil Kumar said that a week-long special drive against country rifles in Chittoor, Palamaner, Madanapalle and Puttur sub-divisions yielded 503 weapons after the villagers of the forest fringe areas bordering with Tamil nadu and Karnataka voluntarily surrendered them. 

The SP said that the prime objective of the special drive against the country rifles was to usher in peace in rural areas and to protect law and order, besides preventing hunting of wild animals. Senthil Kumar said that it came to the notice of the police that some farmers kept country rifles in their possession to protect agriculture crops from wild animals, while some kept it for hunting wild animals, especially in Bangarupalyam, Palamaner, Punganur, Valmikipuram, KV Palli, Tavanapalli, ramakuppam and KVB Puram. 

The country rifles are being sold at Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,000. The SP said the special drive was fruitful due to the involvement of village elders. awareness sessions for the public in forest fringe villages also bore fruit, he said. Senthil Kumar said that thanks to the awareness campaign, those who possessed the country rifles had voluntarily surrendered the weapons at their respective villages. Senthil Kumar termed it a welcome sign. The drive led to the seizure of 275 country rifles in Palamaner sub-division, 125 in Madanapalle, 54 in Puttur and 49 in Chittoor.