Washington: Indian Americans in a Georgian
city are getting themselves trained in gun shooting as
self-defence measures after the community in recent months
experienced a spate of violent home invasions and robberies.
Indian Americans living in Roswell, a suburb of northern
Atlanta, are being helped by the local police in receiving
this gun training, which they believe would help protect
themselves from robberies.
Over the weekend, Indian Americans gathered at a firing
range, a local news channel reported, adding that Roswell
police has so far charged seven Colombian nationals with home
invasion.
"This is my first time," Ashish Dhume was quoted as
saying.
"Some of our friends actually got robbed. We don`t want
to be victimised when we are at home," he added.
"I feel confident I can use the gun and protect myself,"
he said after receiving an hour-long training.
"I just wanted to see what it feels like and learn some
safety issues, more than anything else, just in case I get
into a situation," Nivelle Bilimoria told WSB TV.
The community believes, so does the local police, that
Indian Americans are being targeted because they have the
tradition of keeping gold in their homes.
In fact, Indian American communities in other parts of
the US, like Virginia and New York, too have been target of
robberies because of the gold culture, but this is for the
first time that they are taking training in shooting as a
self-defence measure.
"Indians seem to be adverse, probably culturally, but
once you settle down in this country, you`ve got to adapt to
the country," Dijjocam Raina was quoted as saying, adding that
he hadn`t held a gun in 20 years, but now he plans on buying
one and keeping it close for safety.
Local police conceded that Indian American community is
being targeted by robbers who held them at gunpoint and snatch
away their gold and other valuables.
PTI
