M’luru: Absence of permanent ‘firing range’ causes worries!

Mangaluru: The absence of a permanent ‘shooting range’ in the district is troubling police as well as citizens desiring to own a firearm.

Gun permits are mostly granted for protecting agriculture fields and defending humans from wild animal attacks. Due to the high incidence of man-animal conflicts in the Coastal and Malnad regions of the state, many in these regions own a gun or desire a gun permit. There is demand for a firearm for personal protection also. Those who hold a gun permit also want gun safety training.

Moreover, certificate of gun training has been made compulsory for all gun owners. The police department has been assigned the responsibility for imparting the training, but they are helpless in the absence of a suitable firing range in the district.

Earlier, there was a training Moddushedde in the city. Its use was discontinued because of the human habitations nearby.

In urgent situations, an ad-hoc firing range in Karkala is employed for training purposes. But, there is no safe permanent firing range in the Karavali region, said Dakshina Kannada SP Hrishikesh Sonawane adding that a suitable place is being searched for it.

Shooting academy needed:

As gun training is a perennial requirement, establishing a gun academy is the most suitable option. According to senior police officers, a shooting academy will not only help train permit hopefuls but also create a facility to train shooting sports enthusiasts. Demands have been raised to start a shooting academy in the district on the lines of the facilities in installed Goa, Bengaluru, and Chennai.

 Helps prevent misuse and mishaps:

There are thousands who own a gun permit in the district. Many among them have been transferred within the family from one generation to the other. Many don’t even have basic training in handling these firearms. This is one of the reasons for the gun-related accidents in the districts. Establishing a shooting academy would help in systematic, and continual training as well as monitoring, say, gun trainers.

More than 14,000 gun license holders!

As per available data, there are 1,500 firearm license holders under the Mangaluru police commissionerate limits. Another 10,000  within Dakshina Kannada district police limits and 3,000 permits in Udupi already have gun permits. More than 300 applications for firearm licenses are pending in the twin districts.

 

Original report in Kannada by – Santhosh Bolettu

English translation by – Deepak Lasrado