Men with guns

The vintage double-barrel gun slings from Uma’s frail shoulder on a dusty tattered belt. The gun is quite long—a 12 bore with an unending black muzzle. It’s the sort ’60s Hindi movie dacoits rested on their shoulders while holding the stirrups of the swivelling horse with their other hand,surrounded by scores of weak villagers. But in the last decade,these guns have changed the private security industry and made it one of the biggest private sectors with 15,000 agencies in India.

“The industry employs more than 6 million people—and it is growing,” says Kunwar Vikram Singh,chairman of the central association of private security industry and owner of Lancer Private agency.

The agencies hire people who have guns of their own and because of this ex- army men are in demand. “We have to buy our own gun and we get the job easily,” says Uma,who did a basic two-week training course. “It is much better than pulling a rickshaw or driving an auto or working as a waiter somewhere,” says Ganesh. For an eight-hour shift,Uma and Ganesh are paid Rs 6,000 per month.

“We deposit the gun at the bank when our shift ends and we can get a job anywhere because gun licenses are hard to get,” says Uma. He says he acquired licences for himself and his brother with the help of the local MP.

The guns that the security guards use,which cost about Rs 17,000,are not meant for assault and are cumbersome. “These guns are sporting guns and not assault rifles. If they shoot with this gun,the splinters will seriously wound 4-5 people around,” says Singh. But now,with the security agencies likely to get bulk licences for more sophisticated weapons soon,Uma,his brother and millions like them are worried of losing their jobs because their guns are outdated and dangerous and they themselves are not agile enough.

“Now that the government will be giving bulk licences to private security firms,we can get pistols and other quick-fire arms and younger people,” says Singh.

Ashok Kumar,a 52-year-old ex-army man,standing inside an air- conditioned ATM next to a bank in south Delhi,feels the army was better. “At least I had a purpose and we had fun and pride,now I have become a chowkidar. I sit here for most of my shift,it is cool and good,but it is not the same thing,” says Kumar.