Techies seek licence to shoot

[kanwar76]

Parneet, a senior software engineer, was driving back home in Bannerghatta after a long day at the office.

It was late, and he was looking forward to a good night’s rest. On a lonely stretch about two kilometres away from home, he was forced to a stop by two young men on a motorcycle. The rider accused Praneet of injuring his pillion and the two forced him to a nearby ATM and ordered him to withdraw all his money. Helpless, Praneet acceded and was let off only after he had parted with Rs 14,000.

Praneet, as with others involved in IT sector, land developers and businessmen, are frequent — and easy — targets of unscrupulous highway gangs. Several of them are now looking to defend themselves against these attacks and have enrolled for the civil rifle training programme offered by the police. The course is mandatory to obtain a gun license.

“Hold-ups and robberies are on the rise in the tech corridors of Bangalore,’’ Mar Shetty, a senior software engineer with Siemens, said. “We usually travel back home alone and we are easy targets for robbers. The police cannot be everywhere at all times so one cannot depend on them for help. I think a gun offers adequate protection, which is why I decided to undergo training. After this I will obtain a license.’’

Police records reveal a steep increase in the number of techies applying for the programme. Last year, only 12 enrolled in the programme which trains civilians in the use of handling a non-prohibited gun, revolver or pistol.

This year, more than 60 techies have already successfully completed the course. Another 13 have already enrolled for the training programme scheduled to start on September 13. More than 30 techies are expected to undergo training by the end of this year.

City Armed Reserve (CAR) Joint Commissioner K H Srinivasan revealed a thorough background check is made on those applying for the training programme.

“Applicants need to come through their jurisdictional police station which screens their antecedents before referring them to us. Applications from people with unsound mind and bad character are rejected by the police station. Applicants also have submit documents such as identity and address proof along with their other credentials including proof of employment or trade certificate to the police to avail this training. On successful completion of the programme, a certificate is awarded to them. This has to be attached while applying for a gun license, but they also need to satisfy other parameters such as credible threat from an unforeseen source before they actually get a license,’’ Srinivasan said.

The 10-day course includes a test to rate strength and stamina, theory classes on the usage and safety measures while handling a firearm, and practical classes which involve cleaning the weapon, loading, aiming and firing.

The trainees are then put through an exam and marked on a scale of 125. One has to score a minimum 50 per cent to receive a pass certificate.

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/ ... shoot.html

I don't understand why they want us to prove "credible threat from an unforeseen source before they actually get a license" when there are so many mugging, chain snatching cases in city daily

And how? Do I need to tell them I am going to get robbed at this time and this date

-Inder

[xl_target]

What I want to know is how a motorcycle was able to stop a car?
I'm sorry, if I'm in a car and you're on a motorcycle, you aren't going to be able to stop me even if you park the damn thing in front of my hood.
Even if you've got a gun on the motorcycle, I'm going to take my chances and try to get away in my car.

If you're serious about defending yourself, you have to take a pro-active attitude and you can't let people put you in a situation where you are vulnerable.

[kb100]

I was a part of this 'training programme' that this journalist refers to. This was a CRT (Civilian Rifle Training Course) conducted by the CR-South, Adugodi from the 30th of August to the 5th of Sept. This reporter - Hemanth - had come with his photographer in tow on the 2/3rd to the Adugodi POlice grounds where the training was being held. NOt only were a lot of photographs taken he also spoke to some of us. He gave me his card and said he will be calling me later.

He did call me on Sunday (5th Afternoon) stating he was waiting for the course to finish, and asked few questions about the same. (Why, how etc) I gave him the entire background about the ARMS Act right from 1857 to the current scenario, the rights of the common man, NAGRI and its efforts, shooting as a sport etc, increase in crime/mugging incidents etc especially on the outskirts.... but this is what he chose to write! Journalists!

PS: IN the batch of 47 or so who had enrolled in this batch of training, ONLY THREE people were so called "TECHIES" .. the real-estate guys outnumbered everyone 2:1 ... So much for journalistic jurisprudence!

[thomast1]

"credible threat from an unforeseen source before they actually get a license"

Form 1 for the above:

===================================Official Threat Form===================================================

To,
Whomsoever it concerns,

M/Adams,

The one who is issued this letter shall herein be addressed as threatened and the issuer as the threat source. the threatened is here by condemned by us for no special reasons. He will be mugged while on road, his car jacked and his house broken into. Threat source hereby declare that threatened is under clear and present danger. We hereby state that the threatened can be issued a gun/ other arms (stones, hockey sticks, red chilly) or even a Topi-wala, for his protection.

Obediently,
Threat Source!

PS1 : 5 minutes before we attack we will send an sms or misscall to the threatened informing the same.
PS2 : Topi-wala if present at scene will not be given share of the loot, we have pre-paid acounts.

============================================================================================================

Further written clarification can be obtained from our illegal office downtown!

[rsuresh]

What I want to know is how a motorcycle was able to stop a car?
I'm sorry, if I'm in a car and you're on a motorcycle, you aren't going to be able to stop me even if you park the damn thing in front of my hood.
Even if you've got a gun on the motorcycle, I'm going to take my chances and try to get away in my car.

If you're serious about defending yourself, you have to take a pro-active attitude and you can't let people put you in a situation where you are vulnerable.

Hi XL Target,

Same incident happened to my colleague at Chennai . Two people in a bike driving parallel to the car shouted and asked him to stop the car, at this moment every one on the road would think differently like the person driving the car had made a mistake, am sure this is the scene created by the thieves. Next moment he slowed the car and downed the glasses out of a shock , that's it a blow was given and a knife was shown , this friend of mine gave the chain and money he had.


I was in the police station with my friend once the thief was caught. The police said , the same type of trick was used on many innocent people from old aged to mid aged. How he was targeted was a different story, but he was followed for some days.

So be prepared , you wont be able to judge what will happen.

[winnie_the_pooh]

As is usual,the title has a negative connotation. It seems to imply that having a gun expresses a desire to shoot some one.

[sa_ali]

PS: IN the batch of 47 or so who had enrolled in this batch of training, ONLY THREE people were so called "TECHIES" .. the real-estate guys outnumbered everyone 2:1[/i][/b] ... So much for journalistic jurisprudence!

If he would have mentioned the reality, it wouldnt have made it readable. so he added the spice, by hiding the truth. Why dont you leave comment on that article with reality.

[kb100]

PS: IN the batch of 47 or so who had enrolled in this batch of training, ONLY THREE people were so called "TECHIES" .. the real-estate guys outnumbered everyone 2:1[/i][/b] ... So much for journalistic jurisprudence!

If he would have mentioned the reality, it wouldnt have made it readable. so he added the spice, by hiding the truth. Why dont you leave comment on that article with reality.

I did! Except they have a "security question" that refuses to accept any input you type! Guess they dont want anyone to comment on their articles. I reproduce my attempted reply to them below.. Anyone who succeeds can pls post it under my name!

The title is both erroneous and misleading!

Out of the 45 to 47 people enrolled in the last class the author visited on 2/3rd Sept at Adugodi Police grounds (batch 30/08 to 05/09- conducted by CR-South Adugodi - the same batch Dr.BK. Kalavathy who has been quoted was a part of), REAL ESTATE people outnumbered all other fields 2:1. I was a participant myself and there were about THREE people from software industry if I recall correctly ! Business people formed the second largest community after real-estate!

Secondly the little has EXTREMELY NEGATIVE and WRONG/MISLEADING connotations... Techies, or any of the others who were a part of that training DO NOT want license "TO SHOOT" - I doubt if any Police department can give you that! What everyone was interested in was a LICENSE to OWN a weapon... largely for self deference and others for other reasons like sport etc! To use those choice of words readers might get the feeling that the course lets loose a bunch of trigger happy guys with a licence to kill - while the truth is just the opposite! We are taught how to handle and use weapons RESPONSIBLY!

Care should be taken NOT to sensationalise topics unnecessarily!

[xl_target]

What I want to know is how a motorcycle was able to stop a car?
I'm sorry, if I'm in a car and you're on a motorcycle, you aren't going to be able to stop me even if you park the damn thing in front of my hood.
Even if you've got a gun on the motorcycle, I'm going to take my chances and try to get away in my car.

If you're serious about defending yourself, you have to take a pro-active attitude and you can't let people put you in a situation where you are vulnerable.

Hi XL Target,

Same incident happened to my colleague at Chennai . Two people in a bike driving parallel to the car shouted and asked him to stop the car, at this moment every one on the road would think differently like the person driving the car had made a mistake, am sure this is the scene created by the thieves. Next moment he slowed the car and downed the glasses out of a shock , that's it a blow was given and a knife was shown , this friend of mine gave the chain and money he had.


I was in the police station with my friend once the thief was caught. The police said , the same type of trick was used on many innocent people from old aged to mid aged. How he was targeted was a different story, but he was followed for some days.

So be prepared , you wont be able to judge what will happen.

Once again, I want to repeat; "only YOU are responsible for your own safety".
If you stop and get mugged, you have only yourself to blame.

Lets put it this way, someone tries to flag me down on a lonely road and there are multiple persons involved. I'm not going to stop.
If they insist that you have participated in a collision, tell them to follow you to the nearest Police station.
As long as I am in my vehicle, I don't care how many knives they brandish, I'm not stopping.
If they persist on trying to stop my car, they will have to try and knock my car off the road with the motorcycle and we know how far that will get them.

If you absolutely must stop, keep your doors locked and roll you window down just a crack. That way you can still drive off.
As rsuresh notes, this is apparently a common modus operandi. Forewarned with this knowledge, there is now less incentive to stop if someone flags you down.
If you still insist on stopping when you are enclosed inside a 2000 or 3000 kg deadly weapon, well........ (I'll leave it unsaid).

[Virendra S Rathore]

Why can't these people write straight and simple, just like they see it