Now, Goans are gunning for arms!

PANJIM, SEPT 10
If Goa is one of the most peaceful States with crime rate relatively low as compared to other States in the country, why is that so many of its citizens especially, those residing in rural parts feel the need to possess arms?
According to the government, in North Goa 108 persons have arms licences whereas in South Goa the number of persons holding arms licences is 138. Indications are that in most cases license for arms is applied either for crop protection or self-protection but used for other purposes and mostly to satiate the thirst for hunting wild animals.
A few months back the Forest Department had intimated the Collectorate to observe restrain while sanctioning arms licenses for crop protection as they may be misused for killing wild animals. The officer in North Goa Collectorate, said since then they have been careful in issuing licenses even as they cannot out right reject applications seeking arm licenses.
In recent times, no new licenses have been issued for crop protection, said the officer.
Interestingly, majority of the current lot of arms license holders have arms transferred in their names either from a father, an uncle or a spouse.
This is true for South Goa that has more number of arms license holders than North Goa.
While majority of the arms license holders registered in South Goa are from Salcete taluka, a number of persons holding arms licenses in talukas of Quepem and Sanguem is also equally large. A small taluka of Canacona has 24 licensed arms holders residing in areas of Loliem, Partgal, Poinguinim and Khotigao.
Whereas in Quepem taluka some 18 persons coming from remote areas such as Cusmane, Rivona and Ambaulim have arms licenses. This throws a question whether so many persons in Goa and particularly, those residing in remote places of Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona are facing some kind of threat to their life that they are compelled to possess arms.