When constable Vinay Yadav confronted two menacing characters near a Maninagar bank a few months ago, it was a battle between his lathi and their guns.
Most of the 14,000-odd junior cops, including head constables, have not been issued
gun licences yet
AHMEDABAD: When constable Vinay Yadav confronted two menacing characters near a Maninagar bank a few months ago, it was a battle between his lathi and their guns.
Yadav died because bravery is not a fool-proof shield against bullets.
Even today, scores of low-ranking police personnel in Ahmedabad walk the tightrope over death, with only lathis to help them keep their balance – because the government is yet to give them gun licences.
Even many crime branch personnel, who deal with armed and hard-boiled adversaries, have no licence to bear weapons.
In the city, only 281 low-ranking cops including assistant sub-inspectors, head constables and constables, out of an estimated 14,000 personnel, have been issued licences.
The information was secured by DNA under the Right to Information Act. Most of the others who have applied for licences have been waiting for years for approval.
The police rank and file says that the delay in issuing licences is preventing them from effectively carrying out law-enforcement duties, particularly in sensitive areas.
In fact, there are eight police stations in the city out of the total 35 including those in sensitive areas like Kalupur and Dariapur, where none of the junior cops have been issued licences. The others include Navrangpura, Vastrapur, Gujarat University, Karanj, Khadia and Vatwa police stations.
“I have applied for a gun licence but have not been issued one so far,” said a constable at the crime branch. “I feel vulnerable without a weapon, particularly, in life-threatening situations.”
About one-and-a-half years ago, Jujarsingh, a constable of Rakhial police station was crushed to death while chasing a truck full of cattle. And eight years ago, a constable in Naranpura lost his life in a scuffle with goons.
Police sources said that the men would have been able to defend themselves better if they had weapons. The state government, however, says only a technical glitch may have held up the issuance of licences.
“An official may be given a licence for a revolver if it has been cancelled or rejected previously due to some reasons and if he contacts us,” said state home secretary GC Murmu. As the crime rate in city shoots up, cops feel the urgent need to be armed to be able to quell criminals as well as defend themselves.
But senior officers are not convinced. “The police sub-inspectors and inspectors are given service revolvers and some ASIs too have been given pistols,” said the joint commissioner of police of the crime branch, Ashish Bhatia. “But I have no comment to make as far as licences for private weapons are concerned.”
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