Abhinav shoots with New Rifle

Olympic gold medal winner Abhinav Bindra on Tuesday had a different experience altogether shooting with different guns at the ITBP's shooting range here during a police sports meet.

"It was my first experience, a different one, shooting using an (indigenously built) Insas rifle and a .9 mm pistol. After firing from the rifle, there was this big bang," Bindra said after opening the 52nd All India Police Duty Meet-Shooting hosted by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police at the its Basic Training Centre in Panchkula.

Asked if he had given tips to the shooters present at the range, the 25-year-old ace marksman quipped, "I was actually taking tips from them myself".

Bindra has been using a Walther-make air rifle for the past 10 years.

Twenty eight teams belonging to Central Police Forces and State Police Organisations, holding aloft their respective flags, gave a sterling display of their parade and honoured the ace shooter.

ITBP's Inspector General P P Singh stressed the significance of the meet, saying "it would be a precursor to future shooters who would bring glory to the country in the days to come".

Asked that the Armed Forces were facing shortage of officers, Bindra said the youth should be encouraged more to take it up as a career.

"I have great respect for the Armed forces. My grandfather was in the Army. I think we need to encourage our youth more and motivate them to join the forces as they offer a secure career full of thrill and adventure and at the same time one can serve the nation the best," Bindra said.