Kanpur businessmen turn weapon savvy

KANPUR:The industrialists of the city are ready to take up arms, quite literally, against the criminals. Worried over the spurt in incidents of loots, thefts, kidnapping and assaults coupled with failure of the police to check criminal activities against the business community, the Indian Industries Association has urged the Senior Superintendent of Police to organise arms training camp for the community.
Vice president of IIA Tarun Khetrapal told Times News Network that SSP RP Singh would visit in the Panki industrial area on Thursday to hold a meeting with the IIA members regarding arms training programme that would begin next month.
The IIA, Kanpur, has also urged the government to issue arms licence to the industrialists so that they could protect themselves from the criminals. Executive secretary of the association Sanjay Shukla says “most of the time police men are busy in all types of activities and have no time arrest criminals�.
Claiming that the industrialists lack faith in the police Shukla said that a training in use of fire arms would enable the businessman to run his business fearlessly.
According to information,about 80 IIA members have purchased rifles and pistols and rest are making efforts to obtain arms licence. The association has 650 members in the city and all of them wanted training in fire arms, claims Khetrapal.
He said arms training would start from Kanpur and similar programmes would be launched in other district branches of the association.
Besides, the IIA has also decided to maintain a proper record of the crime incidents against the industrialists. These records would be submitted to the chief minister and director general of the police. IIA leaders said despite repeated claims and assurances police had failed to check crime against the traders and business community.
Talking to Times News Network, SSP RP Singh said that he had assured the industrialists that patrolling in the industrial area would be intensified and a special security cover would be provided in the area for the protection of industrialists. “I would definitely arrange for a short arms training programme for the industrialists, if I get good response from them�, he added.
IIA has also formed an anti-corruption cell and has resolved to prepare a file of corrupt officers who frequently pressurise industrialists. The file would be submitted to the higher authorities in the state capital.