In the backdrop of several gang wars playing out in various parts of the city, the City Police Commissioner has directed all police personnel of sub-inspector rank and above to carry service pistols. The hope is that the presence of an armed police officer on duty will deter anti-social elements.
But a majority of police personnel are unwilling to carry firearms, arguing that guns do more harm than good. They prefer to leave their weapons either at the police station or at home. “Carrying a weapon will distract us from performing our duty effectively,” said one officer.
Many of them say an officer should be confident and be prepared for any eventuality without the need of a gun.
“If we have a gun, we will always worry about protecting the weapon first, instead of handling the situation at hand. What if we lose the gun in a melee?” asked a senior officer.
He added that it is bad enough having to constantly worry about their mobile phones. “Forget guns, what if we lose our phone? If it gets lost, we can’t even report the matter. It is humiliating. And now the seniors are talking about carrying weapons,” the officer said.
‘Not practical’
Another officer said, “It is very easy for a mob or a group to surround a policeman and snatch his weapon. This order is good but not practical,” he said.
Another inspector noted that officers of the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police and above have a gunman accompanying them for backup. But this is not applicable to junior officers. “Besides, if an inspector seeks backup, it is embarrassing.”
Police Commissioner N. S. Megharikh’s order came in the wake of a shootout at Shivajinagar last week where a rowdy-sheeter, Shabbir, fatally fired at his rival, Parvez, with a country-made weapon. Earlier, a realtor was hacked to death at a cafe in Vijayanagar. The two incidents have not only exposed the growing fearlessness among gang members, but also dented the image of the police.
(Reporting by Imran Gowhar)
