Click to play videoNew Delhi: Gun culture and the easy availability of guns is not just an issue in the United States, the truth is that guns are all too easily available in India.
There are four crore firearms in civilian possession. 1,400 arms dealers and close to nine lakh arms license holders in Uttar Pradesh alone. India is the second most heavily armed nation in the world.
No surprise that a gun culture is fast becoming a reality on school and college campus in India.
In December 2007, 14-year-old Abhishek Tyagi, a student at the Euro International School in Gurgaon, was shot dead by two of his classmates. The gun used was an imported 32 Harrison pistol that one of the boys had stolen from his father.
Barely a month later, in a similar incident, a student in a government school in Madhya Pradesh used a crude weapon to kill a younger schoolmate.
With several incidents of gun-related violence, many are worried.
"Why did the dad have the gun in the first place for the son to use. Why would a builder whose business is buying and selling need a gun at all," demanded President, People's Action Advocacy Group, Sanjay Kaul.
"There is an increase in globalisation and consumerism and family values are changing," said psychiatrist, Dr Sameer Malhotra.
Some even blame the movies and violent games which serve to reinforce an increasingly regular attitude to guns and weapons - almost normalising the use of violent means to end conflict.
"As gun-related violence thrives in the West, everyone is worried that the trend may catch up in India when weapons fall into the wrong hands," said psychiatrist Dr Amit Sen.
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