‘Use or lose’ is for weapons too : The Tribune India

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‘Use or lose’ is for weapons too

The news giving details of all 21 guns not firing at the State funeral of former Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra did not surprise me, but did take me back to an incident in 1990.

‘Use or lose’ is for weapons too


Col DS Cheema (Retd)

The news giving details of all 21 guns not firing at the State funeral of former Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra did not surprise me, but did take me back to an incident in 1990.

I was commanding a unit at Pathankot, 30 km from my hometown. I befriended an SP at Batala, and needed his help in a particular case. He would visit me often while his men had meals in the unit mess. It was the time when terrorism in Punjab had not yet fully abated and the Pathankot-Batala axis was considered dangerous for movement, especially at night.

On a particular winter day, he rang the bell at 11 pm. He was ushered into the sitting room. I was told that there were 15-odd policemen who had not had time to eat anything since morning and they wanted dinner. I immediately organised their dinner and offered them accommodation for the night. But the offer was not accepted as they had to carry out a special assignment that night. We had an hour at our disposal. I asked him if he could have avoided travelling at that time of the cold night. The brave, bold man laughed, citing the type of work the police was required to perform during the dark days of militancy. He narrated some incidents of his encounter with militants and how luck had favoured him.

By now we had moved out in the front lawn and were eagerly waiting for his men to report back. As the conversation began to flag, I casually asked him whether the pistol he was carrying in the holster could fire in time of need. He felt a bit offended by the remark, and immediately took out the weapon to demonstrate its utility. I told him not to fire at that time of the night as it could trigger panic in the cantonment. But he was bent upon firing the pistol into the air to prove a point to me. He fired a number of times without any result, and ultimately opened the magazine to check the problem, cursing in Punjabi. At this point, I firmly took hold of the pistol. A couple of months after this incident, I learnt about the tragic news of his martyrdom in an encounter.

In the armed forces, particularly in the Army, the weapons allotted to officers and men are labelled as ‘personal weapons’, and the responsibility of maintenance rests with them. It is not uncommon to see the Brigade Commanders and COs spending hours cleaning their weapons. It gives them confidence. In any case, the Army ensures regular firing practice by all ranks at the ranges. Policemen and their officers do not get an opportunity to fire and maintain their weapons to ensure that the weapons don’t let them down, perhaps because of their commitments. It is quite possible that many policemen may have lost their lives because of the lack of firing practice. The principle ‘you lose what you don’t use’ applies to all spheres of life.

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