Kozhikode: Delay shoots down youth aspirations

KOZHIKODE: The delay in renewing the gun licences of the Kozhikode District Rifle Association has denied about 40 youngsters the chance to train at the shooting range here and take part in national tournaments. The association’s gun licences were cancelled eight months ago as they had been given under another category. But even after the association had applied under the category for rifle clubs and associations, the impasse has continued.

“We have lost almost a season. Only shooters who are using air guns were able to take part in the shooting championship. Almost 40 shooters, who train with ammunition, have been denied their chances. Shooters in every category have been hit,” says Jose Joseph, former secretary of the Rifle Association.  A case has been slapped on Jose, then secretary under the Arms Act for operating under another category and taking a loan of ammunition rounds from the state rifle association. Since then Jose Joseph has handed over his duties to joint secretary James Kutty but the district administration has not yet issued the renewal.

“We only informed the district administration that for the past 40 years we were given the wrong gun licence. Forty years ago, when we first applied for the licence, we did it under the wrong category (Form III). This had been renewed from then onwards and only recently we came to know about the mistake. When we pointed this out to the authorities, they slapped a case against the association and now they have not reissued the gun licence under the category for rifle associations ( Form VI) and this has stopped our activities at the shooting range in Thondayad,” said Jose Joseph.

“I had to hand over the secretary position to the joint secretary due to the case but still the authorities have not renewed the licences. The delay in renewal has hit the shooters the most. Many have lost their chance to represent the state and claim grace marks. Only a handful of districts have the facility to train and Kozhikode is one of them. The unreasonableness of the officials has brought the sport to a standstill. Of the 60 trainees, at least 20 are regulars at the south zone shooting championships and there has been no representation in this category from Kozhikode this year,” he explained.

District collector N Prasanth said that the regulation was part of the government’s direction. “We have received their application but the government has decided to impose the rules about arms and ammunition strictly. The delay is a part of it and if the association complies with the rules and regulations, we will renew the licences as soon as possible,” said the collector.