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Kerala Police Starts Firearm Handling Training Sessions

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 11:43 am
by mundaire
In a great move, Kottayam (Kerala) District Police Chief N. Ramachandran initiates firearm handling training for Arms Licensees. The title of the news article could have been better, but this sort of training is an excellent step.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/k ... 449166.ece
Gun licensees sweat through rule book (SIC)
Special Correspondent
KOTTAYAM, May 13, 2017 23:32 IST
Updated: May 13, 2017 23:38 IST

Image
P.C. George, MLA, with his 12 bore gun at the training programme for gun licensees organised by the district police at Kottayam on Saturday.

Police team training licensees in Kottayam finds that most are clueless about Arms Act

“They called it fine targeting,” said B. Sreekumar, president of the Kottayam Nature Club, after interacting with the nearly 200 gun licensees in the district at the first ever training programme organised in the State for them by the police.

The conservationist had taken up the issue of indiscriminate killing of tortoise and birds by gun licensees.

Gory reason

Only when the licensees told him the reason behind the killing did he know why it was happening in a big way. “They were targeting the head of the tortoise to fine-tune their target practice,” he said, disgusted.

According to District Police Chief N. Ramachandran, the brain behind the training programme, the level of unawareness among the licensees regarding the Arms Act was an eye-opener. “Very few knew that the gun and the rounds should not be kept side by side. Nor did many know that the gun should not be kept loaded,” he said. Handing over the instrument to another person is also banned. Moreover, the licence is for using a particular instrument and as such a licensee cannot own other weapons based on the one he already has, he said.

There were 1,507 licensees in the district for 1,700 instruments, Mr. Ramachandran said.

“Many of the instruments are owned by individuals who received them as family heirloom,” he said, and pointed out that these people did not know much about the Arms Act.

P.C. George, the star

The star of the programme was, however, P.C. George, MLA, who owns a 12-bore gun and a pistol. The MLA arrived holding one each in each hand, without handing over the instruments to any of his aides. “Most of us keep the gun to pander to our egoism,” Mr. George said, elaborating on the reasons behind misuse of the instrument by licensees. He also talked about his hunting days.

The participants have signed an undertaking making it clear that they would adhere to the Arms Act while using the instruments in future. The programme will continue in the coming days with the licensees grouped together in several batches.

Re: Kerala Police Starts Firearm Handling Training Sessions

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 2:12 pm
by Woods
Firstly this training plus fire/air arms introduction training should be imparted to police themselves .

Re: Kerala Police Starts Firearm Handling Training Sessions

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 2:21 pm
by cherian.k.k
Hello all
Most of the people who attended seems to be 50+ years of age who seems to have started using weapons at 12yrs. Having lot of experience. People with least experience seems to be people who had come there to give training.the worst thing is that (I think) there is some foul play going as the person who was brought to train is person who was disqualified for tampering with target during GVM championship and has not handled any fire arms or know arms act or safety procedures
Cherian.k.k

Re: Kerala Police Starts Firearm Handling Training Sessions

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 2:39 pm
by mundaire
@Cherian - were you/ other arms license holders that you know also invited for this training? What was the format/ instruction like? Was there a range session as well?

Re: Kerala Police Starts Firearm Handling Training Sessions

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 3:01 pm
by cherian.k.k
I came to know about the training only through news paper. But after reaching there we were informed it was for people of one police station limit and that we will be informed. It was conducted in closed room

Added in 2 minutes 45 seconds:
The new came training for all licence holders of Kottayam district (my home district )

Re: Kerala Police Starts Firearm Handling Training Sessions

Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 6:49 pm
by renjith747
Thanks to Mundaire for sighting this news from Kerala .We the people of Kerala are a minority in the case of arms licenses comparing to other parts of India.Day by day policies are getting more stringent for the issue of arms license.The introduction of Arms rules 2016 put the situation even worse for the people who want to get a license for self-defense on the other hand little beneficial for shooting sports.Clauses in the Arms rule 2016 have some conflicts with the Arms act of 1959 in the grant of arms license.Proof for threat to life is demanded in rules of 2016 which is more impossible to provide it in writing so that it is easy for the Police to make a wrong report for the grant of licenses.

The training programs put forward by the Police should ensure this, as per the words of District Police Chief N. Ramachandran, the brain behind the training programme, "the level of unawareness among the licensees regarding the Arms Act was an eye-opener".If the officials are having through knowledge in the Arms act of 1959 many of the rejections in the arms licenses can be avoided for the genuine persons,many times the rule of the land will be followed in the issue of the licenses even if there is an Arms act and people are ignorant in it.Majority of the arms license holders who are having weapons for generations are also reluctant to learn the acts and rules and gradually getting their license cancelled and its happening all parts of India.

If the government and Police takes this as a serious matter and doing it for the goodness of the license holders its a commentable initiative.Same time as per Mr:Cherian K.K , Sports shooter representing Kottayam Rifle Club , the trainer should be well qualified for giving a training.If the person is not qualified to give training he can misguide people and they will not have any advantage rather than putting their life in danger.Always a trainer should be a Certified sports shooter or retired persons from armed forces with good training skills as it can bring confidence in their own weapon handling skills for the license holders.

It can be concluded that creating awareness among people is a good initiative as it helps people to use their weapons with confidence and safety and the cancellation of license can be prevented to some extent if most of the people are aware about acts and rules in force.

Regards
Renjith