Now most of the malls and movie theatres, multiplexes etc maintain a register (called a "Weapon Register"), of all armed entrants meaning Police, VIPs, Licensees etc (basically anyone who is legally armed). Any armed person will enter their name,license number/police ID number, date, time of entry/exit etc. I have been told that this was on recommendation of the local Police. I entered my details in the Mall Weapon Register without incident.
Now, the Inox theatres inside the mall have their own private security people, with again, additional metal detectors, and frisking and Weapon Register. This was not my first visit and infact the older register has several entries that I had made on previous occasions. When I told them that I wanted to enter my details as usual, the Asst.Manager Security & Admin., told me that the rules had been made stricter, and that they were not allowing arms licensees(even with tickets
)and even Police Officers inside the auditorium. So I set about trying to find out what was going on, and asked him if there was a GO(Government Order) to that effect, he said "yes" and took me inside and showed me a new Weapon Register, where on the first page was pasted a printout of Standard Operating Procedure(SOP), when I read through it, it had basically exempted all VVIPs, including PM,President,CMs VVIPs and Police Officers but not arms licensees. In addition it said all weapons including knives were prohibited. This was not a GO, when questioned, he said the GO was in Mumbai and that the corporate HQ had told them to follow this procedure.
I felt that he was bullsh!4ing me, so I asked him why maintain a register when, it was prohibited for everyone and asked where the old register was, and why he had allowed a Sikh gentleman on the very same day along with his Kirpan.There was no answer. I told him that he was discriminating against me,even after clearly identifying myself and showing him the license and that it was illegal for him to do so. He did not answer my questions and did not show me the old register. I also asked him was there any thing in my dress or face that caused him to discriminate, and because I was politely talking to him. Again no answer.
While I am aware that these are private premises, and they reserve the right of admission, my understanding is that no business/club /association open to public has the right to formulate an operating procedure, in violation of the laws of the land.
I had a a gut feeling an overzealous security head put up this new SOP (probably without even approval from Corprate HQ) because the Operations Manager would neither contact a higher official nor give us the numbers to speak to the GM and explain the situation(I know it was late in the night
). After telling him repeatedly that we wanted to speak to the GM he went out of the room and came back, when we asked him what happened he was very vague and said "try to understand Sir"," we are lower level employees Sir" etc. I asked what they would do if I had said "do what you want and went inside", to which he said "what can we do sir" .I have to be clear that all through the interaction (from about 10.35pm to about 01.15am
) we were very polite, did not use any strong language nor try to intimidate them nor use any force. By this time the movie was almost over and my wife, sis-in-law and cousin came down to see the "tamasha" . I asked for a statement in writing that I was not being allowed in according to SOP of the company which they did not want to give. I asked for a copy of the SOP and the already entered names in the register,which they did not give so, after taking a picture of the these "details" on a camera phone, and the Operations Manager's & Asst.Manager Security & Admin. we left with an assurance that they would definitely take this to the notice of the management.I called the Operations Manager this morning and he said the GM's relative had passed away, and he had gone out of town, but that they were in the process of getting a confirmation from upper management and the Police and he said he would get back to me. I thanked him and that was that.
Feel free to comment,
Regards,
Anand
. How are we supposed to feel safe with such intelligent securities ? 
