Gunning for security

As an avid hunter, owning a gun for Hamid Daruwala was more of a necessity. 8220;I was fond of hunting and which is impossible without a gun. So I applied for one, more than 30 years ago.8221; Daruwala owns a 12 bore gun and two rifles. 8220;Those were the days one actually used these weapons,8221; he laments. 8220;Now-a-days, with most animals being declared a protected species, the sport has died a natural death.8221;

Owning a gun is one thing and using it, quite another. Says Telang,8220;I had the Colt with me for about 20 years, but not once did I get a chance to use it.8221; Says Hemant Dua, name changed on request, businessman, 8220;I do carry my Smith amp; Wesson with me when I go out for parties, which I think will be crowded, or to places that are far away from town. But never have I had to use it in all these years.8221;

In fact, the only time these licensed users even carry their gun along is in anticipation of being attacked. Daruwala8217;s son, Ali, carries the gun with him whenever he takes the cash from their petrol pump to the bank. 8220;That is the only time I feel the need for it. Otherwise it8217;s useless, at least in crowded areas.8221;

Though none of these gun owners have actually fired their guns in self-defence, they still seem to serve a purpose. They act more as a psychological bodyguard than a weapon of self-defence. Says Telang, 8220;When I had my gun, my husband used to be more at ease about my going to far-off places on my own or even with my kids. Once, I remember, I had taken the children to Agra and whilst returning to Delhi, the bus conked out on the highway.

8220;All the passengers were scared as it was late and one had heard about dacoits. But strangely, I felt safe because I was carrying my gun with me. I don8217;t think I could have done much with the gun if attacked, but it made me feel capable.8221;

Actually firing a gun depends more on the skill, than the possession of one, says Daruwala. 8220;Most people who own guns have had at least some amount of training, but that is not really important. Whenever there is a duel and both parties have guns, it is only the unskilled one who gets shot. So the whole question of self-defence depends on skill and that comes only with practice.8221;

A feeling Dua echoes. 8220;Though I used to be a state-level champion in shooting, I have rarely practiced in the five years that I have been in Pune. But in an emergency it is skill and the presence of mind that come to your defence.8221;

Getting a gun is not as easy as it seems. One has to make an application to the police commissioner8217;s office and state the reasons why it is required. Then there is the compulsory training sessions that have be attended. After procuring a licence which has to be renewed every year, one has to maintain a record of the bullets purchased and fired. Last year Daruwala had a meeting of petrol pump owners with the police commissioner to impress upon him the need to make guns available to petrol pump owners. 8220;With our plea getting a license for a petrol pump owner is now easier than before.8221;

After all these formalities are done with, one has to have the kind of money to be able to buy a gun. Says Telang, 8220;I sold my gun four years ago for Rs. 1 lakh.8221; A Colt costs anywhere from Rs. 50,000 to over a lakh though maintaining a gun does not require much effort. Sanas cleans it himself with gun oil. Daruwala prefers to get his guns cleaned at the armoury department of the police commissioner8217;s office though some get it done from private dealers.

Besides cleaning, one also has to get the licence renewed every year. Cleaning, maintaining and keeping. That is the main purpose they serve. Says Daruwala,8220;Now-a-days what can one do with a gun. Time was when I used to hunt animals like rabbits etc. As the ban on hunting came into effect, I started teaching at the Maharashtra Vyayam Mandal at Tilak Road. In those days people would not own guns but at least they were interested in learning to shoot. In fact, we used to teach them with our weapons. But these days no one is interested. A gun is more like an old gramophone that one keeps in the house.8221;

A feeling echoed by Sanas. 8220;Women have their ornaments, men keep their guns.8221;