Ludhiana: Official indifference may cost the budding shooters of the state dearly, who are struggling to get licenses to import weapons to compete in various competitions.
A lengthy process, which can extend up to six months, needs to be followed to import weapons. In such a situation, if the local police administration does not issue a gun license to the shooters, then they will not be able to participate in state and national events or they will have to pay a hefty amount of up to Rs 5,000 to hire weapons from trainers or the association.
mid November 2022, Punjab The government had banned the issuance of arms licenses for three months in view of cases of use of fake residential addresses to obtain arms licences. The move is also aimed at cracking down on the gun culture in the state. However, even after three months, no order has been issued in this regard.
Shooters from different districts are pleading with the local police to get licences, but in some districts the concerned officials are not even listening to them.
In one such case four young shooters from Ludhiana- Nishant Kansal, Jugadveer Singh, Walnut And Pawpreet Singh Sekhon, who participated in the national championships in 2022 with hired weapons – has been going round the police commissioner’s office with his certificates that make him eligible to get weapons, but to no avail.
Gurjeet Singh, Shooting Coach, Punjab Sports Department, Ludhiana, said: “Four of our shooters in the 25m sports pistol event are state medalists and had participated in the National Shooting Championship held in November 2022 with borrowed weapons. They are eligible for the National Get armed license on the basis of certificate. The Punjab government had banned the issuance of armed license for three months in November 2022. But even after three months, licenses are not being made.
“I visited the office of Police Commissioner Mandeep Singh Sidhu with the shooters, but the staff did not even let us meet him, saying licenses were not being issued. I managed to meet CP sahib once. Listened to me.” And assured me to sort out the matter, however, nothing happened.”
Koch revealed that the entire process of importing arms from abroad takes up to six months.
“If the shooters are not issued licenses by the end of May, they will either lose their nationals or have to pay a heavy fare to participate in the competition. The nationals are to be held in November this year. Citizens can apply for license on the basis of last year’s participation certificate, which will be invalid the moment the date is announced for this year’s citizens,” he said.
The coaches also said that a shooter participates in more than one event without worrying about the rent with his weapon. Shooting is an expensive sport and not all are able to pay the rent for weapons, he said.
SS RamuwaliaDistrict Rifle Shooting Association President Mohd. Mogatold TOI: “Aspiring shooters, who dedicate their lives to shooting, and win medals for the state and the nation, don’t get the respect they deserve when they apply for a gun license. The current state govt. Not because of restrictions by.” But otherwise too. The authorities are generally indifferent to aspiring shooters.”
Punjab Rifle Shooting Association (PRSA) general secretary Pawanpreet Singh Dhillon said, “I am aware of the issue and have received several complaints from coaches and shooters. I also spoke to some deputy commissioners. However, they showed compulsion. Punjab government order The future of aspiring shooters is at stake and the government should consider it.
Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh meet higher Told TOI that if the shooters approach him, he will help them. “The matter is not in my knowledge. If the shooters raise the issue with us, the sports department will help them,” he said.
A lengthy process, which can extend up to six months, needs to be followed to import weapons. In such a situation, if the local police administration does not issue a gun license to the shooters, then they will not be able to participate in state and national events or they will have to pay a hefty amount of up to Rs 5,000 to hire weapons from trainers or the association.
mid November 2022, Punjab The government had banned the issuance of arms licenses for three months in view of cases of use of fake residential addresses to obtain arms licences. The move is also aimed at cracking down on the gun culture in the state. However, even after three months, no order has been issued in this regard.
Shooters from different districts are pleading with the local police to get licences, but in some districts the concerned officials are not even listening to them.
In one such case four young shooters from Ludhiana- Nishant Kansal, Jugadveer Singh, Walnut And Pawpreet Singh Sekhon, who participated in the national championships in 2022 with hired weapons – has been going round the police commissioner’s office with his certificates that make him eligible to get weapons, but to no avail.
Gurjeet Singh, Shooting Coach, Punjab Sports Department, Ludhiana, said: “Four of our shooters in the 25m sports pistol event are state medalists and had participated in the National Shooting Championship held in November 2022 with borrowed weapons. They are eligible for the National Get armed license on the basis of certificate. The Punjab government had banned the issuance of armed license for three months in November 2022. But even after three months, licenses are not being made.
“I visited the office of Police Commissioner Mandeep Singh Sidhu with the shooters, but the staff did not even let us meet him, saying licenses were not being issued. I managed to meet CP sahib once. Listened to me.” And assured me to sort out the matter, however, nothing happened.”
Koch revealed that the entire process of importing arms from abroad takes up to six months.
“If the shooters are not issued licenses by the end of May, they will either lose their nationals or have to pay a heavy fare to participate in the competition. The nationals are to be held in November this year. Citizens can apply for license on the basis of last year’s participation certificate, which will be invalid the moment the date is announced for this year’s citizens,” he said.
The coaches also said that a shooter participates in more than one event without worrying about the rent with his weapon. Shooting is an expensive sport and not all are able to pay the rent for weapons, he said.
SS RamuwaliaDistrict Rifle Shooting Association President Mohd. Mogatold TOI: “Aspiring shooters, who dedicate their lives to shooting, and win medals for the state and the nation, don’t get the respect they deserve when they apply for a gun license. The current state govt. Not because of restrictions by.” But otherwise too. The authorities are generally indifferent to aspiring shooters.”
Punjab Rifle Shooting Association (PRSA) general secretary Pawanpreet Singh Dhillon said, “I am aware of the issue and have received several complaints from coaches and shooters. I also spoke to some deputy commissioners. However, they showed compulsion. Punjab government order The future of aspiring shooters is at stake and the government should consider it.
Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh meet higher Told TOI that if the shooters approach him, he will help them. “The matter is not in my knowledge. If the shooters raise the issue with us, the sports department will help them,” he said.