Hit the bull’s eye, get arms licence

NEW RULES Anyone desiring to obtain an arms licence from the district administration will now have to undergo an arms handling and shooting training as well as pass a shooting test

Now arms licences in the state capital would be issued to only those people who can hit the bull’s eye! Yes, the district administration will not issue licences to those who will fail to hit the target in a test.

Moreover, people interested in getting arms licences will have to undergo a compulsory training in shooting and arms handling by experts.

District ma gistrate Raj Shekhar, who has been instrumental in framing new rules, on Sunday said many times arms are not maintained properly by people and they often become very casual and indulge in celebratory firings.

If such practices are not regulated then arms would soon become a hazard for the society, he added.

The DM said it is important to train people in handling and maintaining arms for which they are seeking licence. They must also know how to be responsible in handling the arms.

“Police officials would be training the licence seekers on every second and fourth Sunday at Shooting Range of Lucknow Municipal Corporation near Nadarganj. The trainees would have to pay for the cartridges used in the training and also arrange the arms for training. The trainees will have to pay ` 1,000 as fee into the account of Rifle Club of Lucknow,” said Shekhar.

The administration is also mulling to get a signed declaration from applicants that they would not indulge in celebratory firings, not misuse arms to threaten anyone and maintain them as per rules and regulations.

This year, new arms licences will be issued to people from April 1 onwards.