ARUNACHAL PRADESH: The scourge of gun culture recently shook the world when 19 schoolchildren and two teachers were shot by a gunman in a Texas school recently. But it’s not just the US where the gun culture rules. In India, too, there are regions where firearms have been part of the tradition and culture of the people.
Like many other tribes, in parts of Arunachal Pradesh, too, guns have been traditionally used for hunting. But the state government has now thought of an innovative use of weapons. When over 100 air rifles were surrendered in the picturesque Miao subdivision of Changlang district in the past year in deference to the state government’s call, the district administration, under the guidance of minister Kamlung Mossang, hit upon the idea of channelising the youth in the right direction with the help of the same weapons they had used to hunt wild animals.
In March this year, the district administration set up a 10-metre rifle shooting range in Miao – the first of its kind in the state – where training is imparted by the Army. Hunting is a favourite pastime as well as a necessity of the tribals in Arunachal that shares its border with Bhutan, China and Myanmar. And, as they say, traditions die hard. The state government’s objective was to keep the youth engaged in what they like the most – firing the gun – but not at the cost of biodiversity.
In March 2021, the Pema Khandu government had launched the ‘Air Gun Surrender Campaign’ for the protection of biodiversity. Ever since then, over 1,500 people have surrendered their air guns across the state. In the hills of Arunachal and Nagaland, it is common to find tribal men with rifles slung on their shoulders. Officers say giving up this tradition means a huge sacrifice in favour of better governance and peace in society.
The minister said the government’s air gun surrender campaign was a success. The idea to utilise the surrendered weapons to train schoolchildren in shooting came up during a meeting with senior officials of the district administration. “The results have been very encouraging. As marksmanship is engrained in a tribal society, the children here can evolve into national and international-level shooters, if trained properly,” the minister said. This low-cost sustainable model, a brainchild of Changlang Deputy Commissioner Sunny K Singh, can be emulated in other parts of the country, Mossang added.
Singh, who till recently served as the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Miao, has no doubt that the shooting range will reap rich dividends in the long run. “There is a Kendriya Vidyalaya in Miao and it had a vacant building. We thought we can convert it into a shooting range where children can be trained. We renovated it. The government spent around Rs 3-4 lakh,” Singh said.
Some of the surrendered guns are displayed at the facility while some others are being used. Additionally, the administration has purchased some high-end air guns and pistols for the benefit of the trainees. “As children usually make it big when they are properly trained from an early age, our focus is on the children. The trainees are mostly students of classes 3 to 10. There are also a few from classes 11 and 12,” the IAS officer from Bihar said.
The facility is also expected to keep a section of the children and youth away from drugs and from joining militant organisations. Singh said the government’s biggest worry was about how to make the facility sustainable. “So, we involved the Army for training. The children, including some from the Kendriya Vidyalaya, were shortlisted after a competition. Most of them are poor. We gave them I-Cards and made a register. We monitor and record their performance regularly,” he said.
There are three-four boys who appear promising and the administration is confident they can be prepared for national-level tournaments after necessary training. The government is ready to invest in them. “We have plans to organise a state-level shooting championship in Miao. It will help us identify the talented kids. They can then be sent outside for training,” a confident Singh added.