UP man changes religion to get an arms licence

In a bizarre incident, a Muslim youth in Baghpat district has converted to Hinduism in order to get a license for a rifle.

The youth, Mr Furqan Ahmad, became a Hindu last week, shaved off his head leaving a choti behind and sported a tilak on his forehead before proclaiming that he was now Phool Singh.

Mr Ahmad was keen to work as a security guard but needed a licence for a firearm. “Since the past six year, I have been trying to get my licence made but could not succeed. All my papers were in order but the still did not get the licence”, he said. He has six children and drives an e-rickshaw. He wanted to work as a part-time security guard to supplement his income.

Mr Ahmad had first applied for a licence in 2010 and kept doing the rounds of various offices to get clearances and permission. In 2014, he was curtly informed that his file had been “lost”.

“I filed a fresh application and went through all the procedures again but could not get the licence. In the past six years, Baghpat has seen ten district magistrates but my case remains where it was”, he stated. Mr Ahmad even filed an RTI about his case and was told that during he past six years that 378 people had been given arms licences but his case was not even put up for perusal of officials. Mr Ahmad said that a friend of his said that he was probably being denied a licence because he was a Muslim living in a communally-sensitive district. “It was then that I decided to convert and become a Hindu because for me, giving my children a square meal is more important than my religion. So I am now Phool Singh and will again apply for the licences and I hope to get it this time”, he said.