Bangalore CoP's say on firearm ownership for target shooting

[Pran]

Me and Inder had applied for our arms licenses for a .22 rifle and a DBBL shotgun respectively in November 2007. Our applications were processed at the local police station and the ACP(East). However, the DCP(East) rejected our arms application. I went over to the DCP's office waited for close to four hours on a weekday and told him that I'm a member of KSRA and needed a .22 rifle to practise shooting to which he retorted "Don't irritate me, please walk out. I dont have the time for this. I'll be rejecting your application."

We received letters rejecting our arms license applications in April 2008. The reason quoted for denial of license was that we could practise shooting with a 'sports gun' or a 'model gun' sold in toy shops. We lost all hope of being able to own guns till recently when we were told that Bangalore's new CoP Shankar Bidari was a competent police officer and would definitely listen to our woes. For those of you who do not know, Shankar Bidari played an active role in the killing of the famed elephant poacher Veerapan- http://www.shankarbidari.in/

Me and Inder were at the Commissioner's office on the day before yesterday (27th Jan, 2009) and were told that the commissioner would meet public between 3.30pm and 5.30pm on Monday and Wednesdays. We promptly reached the Commissioner's office yesterday (28th Jan, 2009) at 3.30 pm. The CoP's PA told us to meet the DCP (Admin) as he was incharge of approving arm licenses. An hour' waiting outside the DCP's chamber and we were in front of DCP Shivaprasad. We told him our case and showed him acknowledgment of arms license application and rejection letter. He carelessly scanned through both these documents and told us that he could approve licenses only for self defense and not for target shooting. Convinced that only CoP would be able to help us, we walked down to Commissioner's office.

After waiting for two hours, we were allowed to speak to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shankar Bidari. His chamber had an impressive photo of his STF days in which he was dressed in camo and had a sten gun. On being called during our turn, we told Mr.Bidari that we had applied for our arms license to practise shooting at the range and that our applications were turned down without a valid reason. Mr.Bidari told us to come back in two days and on being reminded that our application were as old as November 2007, he said "We are not issuing arms licenses as there is proliferation of fire arms in the country!"

Unable to believe what we just heard, me and Inder rode back home feeling helpless about the ignorance and apathy among all rank of officers incharge of issuing arms licenses.

Pran

[Olly]

Friends, this is real.

I have no words....

[striker]

Pran
apply this issue in court for best result

[Christopher Rodrick]

Sad to hear that Pran. Just try and go after 2 days and let us know if anyhting possitive comes out.

Chris

[dodger]

sad to hear that ,
i dont know that why is our system is like this? Individuals with bad records get away from all verifications and are issued license to posses arms but people with genuine Needs may not get it just coz they are applying it the right way.God bless our society.

Kshitij

[shahid]

Prolification of arms has nothing to do with issueing licences for target shooting or self defence.

people who deal in illegal arms dont get police verifications done.

It is your civil right and there is no legal reason for rejection.

Give your story to the media.

[kanwar76]

I never felt so humiliated and little all my life than what I felt yesterday. No body gives a shit about you if you don’t have loads of money or contacts. Every tom dick and Harry criminal, crook, politician is roaming around with guns but law abiding citizens are not allowed because proliferation of arms can happen.

Don’t know what to say. This country is not worth living anymore..

-Inder

[Mack The Knife]

The CoP's PA told us to meet the DCP (Admin) as he was incharge of approving arm licenses. An hour' waiting outside the DCP's chamber and we were in front of DCP Shivaprasad. We told him our case and showed him acknowledgment of arms license application and rejection letter. He carelessly scanned through both these documents and told us that he could approve licenses only for self defense and not for target shooting.

I have already spoken to Pran but just so everyone knows, the DCP (Admin.) approved my application for a second rifle on 3.6.2008 and inspected it on 22.1.2009. The reason given for the second rifle licence was target shooting.

[snIPer]

I agree with Shahid - give your story to the media.

[amk]

I never felt so humiliated and little all my life than what I felt yesterday. No body gives a shit about you if you don’t have loads of money or contacts. Every tom dick and Harry criminal, crook, politician is roaming around with guns but law abiding citizens are not allowed because proliferation of arms can happen.

Don’t know what to say. This country is not worth living anymore..

-Inder

Bingo mate, you nailed it with this post. In India nobody gives a shit about you if you don't have money or contacts. This country is not worth living anymore, but, this is home mate.

Do not give up; appeal to the State Home Ministry. The appeals in MAH take a long time to come up for hearing, so you can also approach the courts.

AMK

[cherian.k.k]

Pran
I know how you feel. Hope the application gets approved. Most of the people who have the power of issuing don't know arms act(this is what i feel)

[Sakobav]

Inder and Pran

Its reality but why does one expect any different response for the first try, dont give up. Also wouldnt it be more prudent to apply for one license and then try other.

You should both try and pray ( what else) and hope to appeal to their sensibilities.

Also bud grass is always greener on the other side in many respects ...just heard how in a certain US state folks are hoarding up on ammo expecting increased ammo cost due to tighter legislations. I dont want to bore you with my current lic renewal process travails.

Inder why didnt you try in your home state first I thought your family had a lic which could be transferred?

Cheers

[nagarifle]

gutted thats how i would feel totally gutted.

take out RTI for all the license issued with in last 24 months and on what grounds. and if your refusal is not reasonable then throw the RTI info into their faces and will also come useful if you decided to take legal action.

no wonder uncle Veerapan lived so long.

[kanwar76]

Also bud grass is always greener on the other side in many respects ...just heard how in a certain US state folks are hoarding up on ammo expecting increased ammo cost due to tighter legislations. I dont want to bore you with my current lic renewal process travails.

It can't be worse than INDIA.

Inder why didnt you try in your home state first I thought your family had a lic which could be transferred?
Cheers

Its been 18 years since I am out of my town and I am completing 5 years in Bangalore so thought it will be a good idea to apply from here, obviously it wasn’t so good idea. To obtain a license in Haryana also you have to pull some strings and I don’t really want my Dad to do all that running when I am not around and my cousins and uncles are suffering from a typical INDIAN license holder disease where they are not really interested in helping somebody else to be a gun owner.

My grandfather had a license for a revolver and shotty which was transferred to my Dad’s name but he surrendered it when I was too young to protest. Now the guns are with my uncle.

-Inder

It can

[kanwar76]

gutted thats how i would feel totally gutted.

take out RTI for all the license issued with in last 24 months and on what grounds. and if your refusal is not reasonable then throw the RTI info into their faces and will also come useful if you decided to take legal action.

no wonder uncle Veerapan lived so long.

I thought of doing the same Naga but I really don't want to piss these guys off till at least I try once more.

Perhaps I am suffering from Babu fear disease

-Inder