Overview
- Afzalpur Congress leader Mateen Patel appears with a handgun in a short clip set to a song from the film Dhurandhar, with supporters also posing with weapons.
- Patel says the object was a plastic toy used during a January 18 sangeet for a relative’s wedding and asserts the footage is being circulated to tarnish his image.
- Kalaburagi Police have begun verification and, according to Commissioner Sharanappa S D, have issued a notice to Patel to determine the location, context and nature of the weapons shown.
- Authorities say they will check for licence compliance if the item proves real and have indicated a suo motu case will be registered after a preliminary inquiry if violations are found.
- Officials have not confirmed whether the object was a licensed firearm, an imitation or a toy, while opposition figures have publicly demanded action and criticized the display.