Following is the email thread that I have been exchanging with Delhi Metro.
CISF has never bothered to reply.
I am filing some RTI applications and then initiating a PIL for getting this right to carry arms restored.
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2012 05:58:28 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: DMRC
From: Rahul Sharma
To: [email protected]
Dear Madam / Sir,
I am a civilian and possess a valid All-India licence for a firearm.
Ever since January 2012, there has been a ban on civilian arms-licence holders riding the Delhi Metro, after making an entry in an Arms Register.
I have pursued the matter with the higher-ups at CISF, sent emails that have never been responded to.
I am told that such notifications were issued earlier also, around 26th January and 15th August, but were withdrawn after the sensitive period passed (usually within 10 days.)
This time the de-notification just did not happen.
I am a law-abiding citizen and someone who wants to wreck havoc will never use a licensed weapon. Ajmal Kasab never had a licence.
It is a great drain on monetary resources to have to travel the entire length of the Metro in an auto-rickshaw, just because I have a gun.
With proper documentation and procedures, I can travel by aircraft (Security managed by CISF!!!) but not the Metro.
I request you to please forward this request for revocation of the 26th January, 2012, order to the pertinent authorities so that the commute could become possible for the licensed weapon owners as well.
Thanking you,
Yours truly,
Rahul.
Many reminders later.
On Fri, Jul 20, 2012 at 1:50 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Madam/Sir,
ith reference to your email dated 23 June 2012 regarding revocation of notification prohibiting carrying of weapons in metro, your mail was forwarded to the concerned officer and it has been intimated to us that
there is no such notification which prohibits arms in metro trains on 26 Jan. On the suggestion of security agencies weapon is not allowed in metro.
Further, as per DMRC rules, only the members of the armed forces of the Union Government, State Police, the para-military forces, the National Cadet Corps and other uniformed forces of the Central Government, State Government and Union Territory’s Governments, while on metro railway in the course of their duty, shall carry the authorized weapons, arms and ammunition. Notwithstanding above, inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.
Assuring you of our best services,
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely
Public Complaints Officer
Rahul Sharma Sat, 21 Jul 2012 12:13:02 +0530
To: [email protected]
Dear Sir,
I have been carrying my personal civilian weapon in Delhi Metro, after entering all the relevant details in the arms register, maintained at every entrance of all the stations, for the last 4-5 years!
I would like to know the special circumstances, if any, because of which I am not being allowed to carry it now.
Please do let me know of any order/notification issued in this respect and the issuing authority so that I can pursue the matter accordingly.
there is no such notification which prohibits arms in metro trains on 26 Jan.
This is not what I was told by the security men when I tried to travel via Metro, for the first time in this year. They explicitly told me that there has been a notification, as always, during high-alert time, to prohibit the same for the time being. Such bans, in the past, were always lifted after the important day passed. Not so this time.
On the suggestion of security agencies weapon is not allowed in metro.
Could you please tell me which security "agencies" have made the suggestion, so that I can take up the matter with their concerned officials.
If it is the CISF, itself, then this is the same security agency that has a staffer who threatened to shoot people, just last fortnight, as his pocket was picked!!!
Regards,
Rahul Sharma.
Many more reminders were sent. My email started getting bounced back as a potential spam email.
Sly and Cunning and EVIL that us gun owners are, I did the unmentionable!!! I sent the same email with a reminder using my personal gmail address!
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
[email protected]
Technical details of permanent failure:
Google tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. The error that the other server returned was: 554 554 5.7.1 The message from (<[email protected]>) with the subject of (Personal Weapon Ban Confusion.) matches a profile the Internet community may consider spam. Please revise your message before resending. (state 17).
On 7 August 2012 16:26, <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Madam/Sir,
With reference to your email dated 1 Aug 2012, we would like to inform that CISF is in charge of the security in DMRC. Further, as per O&M Act duly passed by parliament, the members of the armed forces of the Union Government, State Police, the para-military forces, the National Cadet Corps and other uniformed forces of the Central Government, State Government and Union Territory’s Governments, while on metro railway in the course of their duty, shall carry the authorized weapons, arms and ammunition. Further, in the current security scenario CISF authority which has the responsibility to secure DMRC has followed this rule. Inconvenience caused is regretted.
Assuring you of our best services,
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely
Public Complaints Officer
I am, now, going to apply, through an RTI application, for the rules etc. as both the entities involved, CISF and DMRC, keep telling me that the other is responsible.
I have this in writing, at least, from DMRC.
Let us see what CISF has to say.
Same CISF allows me respectfully in an Airport but treats me as the utmost threat at Lal Qilla and politely does not allow me in Metro.
Shall keep you posted.
Keep shooting,
Ra.
P.S. I own a Beretta 418. (Press CTRL while clicking.)
If I put it behind my wallet and remove the holster from the belt, no one comes to know about it.
I have to DECLARE it for the nincompoops to find it.
I always used to do it AFTER having crossed the 'Metal Detector' and Frisking!!!
MGF Metropolitan Mall is another hassle. The only mall that does not allow me. I used to dare them to call the police and stop me OR show me the restraining order. I always got my way. It was too much of a hassle. Now, I tuck it in my pocket and put phone in the holster. No Problems!!!
The MOST Gun Friendly mall, in my experience, is Pacific Mall, Vishnu Garden. They have a dedicated receipt book and not a bloddy register to enter the details.
Just remember all licensees are going to be affected by this nonsense if people like you don't take up our cause!
But they do have a locker facility to lock up your gun, like in a bank locker where you need 2 keys to open it!!
