Hyderabad police have highlighted gaps in firearm licence screening after a 45-year-old businessman, Md Aleemuddin, shot himself with his licensed firearm despite having cleared the medical and documentary checks required for the licence. Police said an earlier suicide attempt had not been reported to them when his licence was issued and later renewed.
Aleemuddin’s licence was issued in 2016-17 under the personal-safety category, according to South Zone DCP Kiran Khare. He had legally acquired his late father’s firearm, and the licence was subsequently renewed after the required documentation, including a medical fitness certificate, was submitted.
“ If there are any red flags, the licence will not be issued. In cases where firearms are passed on to legal heirs, ammunition purchases are not permitted. If any licensed firearm is misused, we promptly recommend cancellation of the licence,” Khare said, according to the report.
Hussainialam inspector A Anjaneyulu said Aleemuddin had recently faced health and financial problems. The businessman owned properties and his family depended on rental income, the inspector said. Aleemuddin is survived by his wife and six children. Police said he had appeared healthy during their interactions with him and that his earlier suicide attempt at home had not been reported.
The case has drawn attention to the limits of the existing verification process. Police assess an applicant’s stated need for a weapon and criminal antecedents before recommending a fresh licence. However, the authorities’ ability to identify changes in a licence holder’s mental or physical condition depends partly on incidents being reported and relevant information reaching the licensing system.
Police said they recommend cancellation whenever a licensed firearm is misused. Recent examples cited by officials include two licences linked to Kanchanbagh and Mirchowk police stations, after weapons were allegedly used in a blackbuck hunting case in Narayanpet. Moinabad police also sought cancellation of Pilot Rohith Reddy’s weapon licence after a raid on his farmhouse in March led to cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the Arms Act. Investigators said another accused had allegedly misused Reddy’s weapon, and Cyberabad police issued him a show-cause notice.
In a separate case, Chandrayangutta police booked businessman Amer Bin Sayeed and his cousin Valeed Hussain after Amer allegedly fired three rounds into the air at a wedding in August 2025 using Valeed’s licensed revolver. Police said the incident came to light after a video circulated on social media. The case is being transferred to Balapur police station, where the alleged offence took place, according to Rajendranagar DCP S Srinivas.
The police have also identified problems involving licence holders who work as private security guards. Cyberabad police commissioner M Ramesh said some people holding personal-safety arms licences in other states seek local registration to carry weapons while working as private security personnel. Authorities deny such permission when they determine that the applicants do not face a personal-safety risk in the local area, he said.
Telangana has 7,125 valid arms licences covering 9,294 weapons, while Hyderabad accounts for 3,709 licences and 4,408 weapons. Police said licence cancellation recommendations and related proceedings would continue in cases where firearms are allegedly misused or where the licence conditions are not met.
