Cook takes shooting practice; security breach at NCC camp

• Girls cadet instructor to teach

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Controversy in the inter-battalion shooting camp conducted by NCC for school and college students, where the commanding officer's cook took shooting training, creating a security threat. The woman was firing the gun along with the children who are NCC members. Adding to the seriousness is the fact that Devika, a Girls Cadet Instructor (GCI), was with the young woman and she taught her how to use and fire the gun.

The incident took place at the Inter-Battalion Selection Camp of the Kottayam Group held on the 16th at Tiruvalla Marthoma College. The woman was shooting with a Point 22 gun. This woman was illegally admitted to a place where only NCC children, NCC officials, and soldiers who come to train them have access.

Apart from cooking for the Permanent Instructors (PI) of the armed forces who are on ERE duty, the young lady also goes to look after the children of the Girls Cadet Instructor.

The range gun that killed a cadet named Vaishakh who was shot in the chest during training at West Hill in Kozhikode, was used here as well. Had the gun been aimed differently, another accident could have occurred.

This gun is only used for NCC cadet training. 0.22 mm size bullet is used. Firearms should only be used in the presence of armed forces personnel as they are extremely dangerous if handled without training. The firing range, which is a highly secure area, is restricted to the instructor and cadets who are firing the gun. This is where the cook entered. Range firing is the most dangerous part of NCC training.