Only officers attached to institutions responsible for maintaining law and order are legally permitted to use or possess legitimate handcuffs, Police Media Spokesperson Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) F. U. Wuttler said, according to the State owned newspaper Silumina.

He stressed that the possession or use of such handcuffs by any unauthorised individual is illegal. Furthermore, the manufacture of handcuffs—regardless of intended use—is also prohibited unless conducted under direct supervision of the Ministry of Defence at the national level.

ASP Wuttler made these remarks in light of an incident in Kahawatta, where a 22-year-old man was abducted and later killed using a pair of illegal handcuffs. He stated that the police are conducting a separate investigation into the use of unauthorised handcuffs in connection with the murder.

The police reiterated that only legitimate handcuffs issued and monitored by the relevant state authorities are allowed, and any breach of this regulation constitutes a criminal offence.