BHUBANESWAR: Shooting skills of police officers in Bhubaneswar have improved. The ongoing firing practice, which is under way at Sidheswar police firing range at Naraj in Cuttack district, showed at least 35% of around 1,000 personnel, who participated in the practice session, managed to hit the bull’s eye in the last three days. The figure was only around 15% in 2019, police sources said.
The aim of the officers was to get tested through Insas rifle, light machine gun, AK-47, 9mm and .38 pistols from a 100 yard and 50 yard range. “We have been organising the shooting practice for police personnel of all ranks and file once every year. Compared to last year, the accuracy of the aim and shooting skill has improved among many police officers,” a senior police officer said.
It must be noted, cops in Maoist-affected districts are far better shooters than those deployed in non-Maoist affected regions and urban areas. “We hardly have to use firearms during raids. It was in August 2019 when we last needed to shoot when two notorious criminals opened fire on us. The two criminals were injured and subsequently arrested,” the officer said.
Some police officers said the firing practice should be conducted every month instead of the existing practice of holding it once annually. “The shooting skill of officers cannot improve unless they practise it regularly. Due to erratic work schedule and heavy workload, such firing practice sessions cannot be held in regular intervals,” said Padmanabh Swain, a retired police officer.
Experts said the police need to hone their shooting skills to deal with the armed criminals. “We see rampant use of firearms by criminals these days. But officers of most police stations here are never seen carrying their firearms. Pistols are easily smuggled into the city from neighbouring Bihar and Jharkhand. With proliferation of arms, even petty criminals are brandishing guns at the slightest provocation. Policemen need to be skilled to meet the challenges,” senior lawyer Sidharth Das said. The commissionerate police had seized 23, 32 and 9 firearms here in 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively.