Uttar Pradesh has highest number of licensed guns in India

NEW DELHI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of gun licences issued by authorities, local media reports quoted an official report as saying Monday.

According to data released by Indian home ministry, 1.27 million people in the state are authorized to carry weapons.

"The highest number of gun licences was given in Uttar Pradesh where 1,277,914 people are authorized to carry weapons," India's semi-official news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted the home ministry report as saying.

In whole of India, until Dec. 31, 2016, authorities have issued 3.36 million gun licences.

According to officials, most of the weapons have been taken in the name of personal security.