Careless Arm License Holders

[varunik]

Just read this news,

from Hindustan times, Delhi edition, June 3, 2012

A 10-year-old boy accidentally opened fire from his father’s licenced pistol and sustained injuries at Kavi Nagar in Ghaziabad on Saturday afternoon.
He was later rushed to a private hospital, where his condition was said to be stable.
The incident occurred at around 1pm on Saturday.
“The boy and his father had gone to a doctor for the boy’s medical checkup. When his father went to the washroom, the child unknowingly picked up the pistol and accidentally opened fire,” said Sudhir Tyagi, Kavi Nagar station officer.
Tyagi said that the fire-arm was a .32 bore pistol, issued to boy’s father, who is stated to be an advocate.
“The boy was injured on his hand and leg. He is under observation,” said the attending doctor.
Although the boy’s family did not file a complaint in the incident, Prashant Kumar, senior superintendent of police (SSP) said that an inquiry would be conducted.
“It seems to be a case of accidental firing, which could have turned fatal. We will make inquiries and may call for cancellation of the father’s pistol licence. There seems to be negligence on part of the arms-holder to preserve his fire-arm safely,” the senior superintendent of police said.
The boy’s family declined to comment on the issue.
A total of 22,000 arms licenses have been issued to various persons in Ghaziabad (including Panchsheel Nagar), and numerous cases of accidental firing have been reported due to inept handling of fire-arms.
The senior superintendent of police said that it was the duty of the arms-holder to preserve his/her firearm with caution.

http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx


Now, I want to ask 2 questions,

1. Those who have used handguns, what happened to safety switch?

2. Shouldnt he get his license cancelled??

Only because of such acts of negligence, getting a license is getting tougher day by day!

[Bhargav]

Just read this news,

from Hindustan times, Delhi edition, June 3, 2012

A 10-year-old boy accidentally opened fire from his father’s licenced pistol and sustained injuries at Kavi Nagar in Ghaziabad on Saturday afternoon.
He was later rushed to a private hospital, where his condition was said to be stable.
The incident occurred at around 1pm on Saturday.
“The boy and his father had gone to a doctor for the boy’s medical checkup. When his father went to the washroom, the child unknowingly picked up the pistol and accidentally opened fire,” said Sudhir Tyagi, Kavi Nagar station officer.
Tyagi said that the fire-arm was a .32 bore pistol, issued to boy’s father, who is stated to be an advocate.
“The boy was injured on his hand and leg. He is under observation,” said the attending doctor.
Although the boy’s family did not file a complaint in the incident, Prashant Kumar, senior superintendent of police (SSP) said that an inquiry would be conducted.
“It seems to be a case of accidental firing, which could have turned fatal. We will make inquiries and may call for cancellation of the father’s pistol licence. There seems to be negligence on part of the arms-holder to preserve his fire-arm safely,” the senior superintendent of police said.
The boy’s family declined to comment on the issue.
A total of 22,000 arms licenses have been issued to various persons in Ghaziabad (including Panchsheel Nagar), and numerous cases of accidental firing have been reported due to inept handling of fire-arms.
The senior superintendent of police said that it was the duty of the arms-holder to preserve his/her firearm with caution.

http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx


Now, I want to ask 2 questions,

1. Those who have used handguns, what happened to safety switch?

2. Shouldnt he get his license cancelled??

Only because of such acts of negligence, getting a license is getting tougher day by day!

I would say safety switch doesn't even come into picture here. If you have a firearm and are carrying it then it has to be ON YOU at all times and at all times and I couldn't stress it more.

Going to the washroom leaving your firearm behind? huh ? people don't even leave their cell phones like that. This was an example of utter negligence on the firearm holders part and I wouldn't say his license should be cancelled but surely suspended for some period of time so that he remembers this incident for his life.

Firearms are no toys and when around children, one should be very careful.

One of my friend has 2 firearms in his house here in the US and his kids who are 4yrs and 2yrs old don't even know that there are firearms in the house. He makes sure that his kids are not around when he is cleaning the arms and or transporting to the range go figure.

[tirpassion]

Dear Bhargav,

Firearms are no toys and when around children, one should be very careful.

I completely agree to this point. But I will have a different viewpoint for the following point.

One of my friend has 2 firearms in his house here in the US and his kids who are 4yrs and 2yrs old don't even know that there are firearms in the house. He makes sure that his kids are not around when he is cleaning the arms and or transporting to the range go figure.

I have 2 kids, 6&1/2 and 3 years. I have 10 weapons at home including the AP, free pistol, .22LR rifle, ML revolvers and pistols. My elder kid knows each and every one of them and knows that some day he will be able to shoot with them but for the time being he can only look at them when I take them out and touch them only with permission. He goes with me to the range to shoot AP and AR only and sees me firing the firearms from time to time. My 3 year old daughter sees me regularly and will also follow the footsteps of the son. That way;
- The mystery around the gun is not developed. It is nipped at the bud.
- The children are not extra curious about the guns
I am of the opinion that gun education should be inculcated right from the childhood. They should be familiar with them in the day to day life and understand that the real world is different from the virtual projected in films and video games etc.

best regards
tirpassion

[Bhargav]

I have 2 kids, 6&1/2 and 3 years. I have 10 weapons at home including the AP, free pistol, .22LR rifle, ML revolvers and pistols. My elder kid knows each and every one of them and knows that some day he will be able to shoot with them but for the time being he can only look at them when I take them out and touch them only with permission. He goes with me to the range to shoot AP and AR only and sees me firing the firearms from time to time. My 3 year old daughter sees me regularly and will also follow the footsteps of the son. That way;
- The mystery around the gun is not developed. It is nipped at the bud.
- The children are not extra curious about the guns
I am of the opinion that gun education should be inculcated right from the childhood. They should be familiar with them in the day to day life and understand that the real world is different from the virtual projected in films and video games etc.

best regards
tirpassion

Well I agree with you that kids should be educated but there is a minimum age to it right? Your elder kid is 61/2 yrs and so I can understand that they know what a gun is and are ready to understand the reality of it. If kids are not old enough to understand the whole gun thing then its better to wait till they reach that age, at least that's how I look at it.

[dr.jayakumar]

well as said gun education is a must to the kids once they are mature enough to understand.
my son being seven knows how to handle a pistol safely with out going to the trigger.but even if he handles safely i don't leave the gun lying around,it will be always on me.
if you are careless then you are not a candidate to own a gun.
regards
dr,jk

[veeveeaar]

INHO , children of arms licessees must be properly instructed and trained on gun safety . on occasions, this training will help in emergencies

[tirpassion]

Dear Bhargav,
The children should be mature enough to understand, YES. But, I am of the opinion that they should get used to seeing at least the guns from the very childhood and learn to live with and be easy with.
I clean my guns in front of my children right from their infancy to let them get acquainted with them. With age, maturity increases, so does curiosity and enthusiasm. I do not want an overflow of these two to flood the children, the day I introduce suddenly the gun to them. At the age of 6/7, a child, specially a boy, is already aware of what a gun is (the negative aspect of it unluckily) even if you do not talk about them, courtesy TV, films, toys, friends etc. So at this age when he will suddenly discover that his father has one or more, he can be tempted to quench his curiosity all by himself. Hence, my approach of familiarization of guns right from the early childhood as any other instruments at home. An electric iron should not be touched, the gas cylinder knob should not be fiddled with, electric gadgets should be handled with care etc. etc. are basic education for every child at home because mishandling these every day life objects can be very dangerous. My guns are also household objects which need careful handling like all these mentioned objects.

best regards
tirpassion

[varunik]

Hence, my approach of familiarization of guns right from the early childhood as any other instruments at home. An electric iron should not be touched, the gas cylinder knob should not be fiddled with, electric gadgets should be handled with care etc. etc. are basic education for every child at home because mishandling these every day life objects can be very dangerous. My guns are also household objects which need careful handling like all these mentioned objects.

but, again the question comes, what action should be taken against such idiot?? because of them, others are denied...
what does law say about such accidents?

[tirpassion]

As suggested earlier, the license should be suspended for a certain period of time and the gentlemen should take strict gun safety lessons in a proper place (I do not not if it exists, maybe shooting clubs?).

There is also a general problem with us Indians who get carried away very easily with the 'Chalta hai' attitude. We are perhaps, not properly aware of dangers around us in all aspects of life and put our lives to unnecessary risks quite often. There is a severe lack of general awareness. For gun education, shooting clubs should be authorised to deliver certificates of proper weapon handling after a certain period of practice and test. The Govt, with it's anti gun stance will never set up any centre where one can learn proper gun handling. The licensing authority can do it also. For example,
you have got the license already, now you will take a gun handling course. It does not have to be free.

Here in France, there is a regular shooting aptitude check for all gun license holders (Only handguns need license here whatever be the caliber). The shooter has to shoot 30 shots of .22 or higher caliber at least three times in a calender year under test conditions which include unpacking, shooting and packing the gun. In case the shooter has not brought his gun, our club provides a .22 pistol or revolver for free while the shooter pays for the ammunition. There are authorized persons in the clubs who sign and stamp their 'shooting aptitude record card'. One must have 3 valid stamps on the card per year. Otherwise, the license will not be valid. The license is given for 3 years but the shooting aptitude check is a must. In my club, I am authorized to sign the card. I do not put to test, the members who shoot regularly and sign their cards without question because I have watched them since long time. But I will definitely ask one to take a test whom I do not see regularly in the club off course after consulting other fellow authorized persons in case they have seen the same person shooting regularly or not.
For your information, the first nod of 'Yes' for a license comes from the President of the Shooting club which is then forwarded to the Police Department for further action. The last word obviously comes from the Police.

best regards
tirpassion