Occupation: Security guard
Ironically, safety and security don’t apply to security guards; the job really doesn’t offer much in way of safety or security. I am not all that surprised at what happened to the late Chandrabose in Thrissur. Our jobs – even a decent night’s sleep – depend on the goodwill and the good conduct of our employers and the people who live in the apartment buildings/residential complexes. Although I’ve not had bad experiences myself, I have heard of things that happened to others. Recently, just a few days ago, in fact, a visitor to a prominent apartment complex in the city where I used to work got into a tiff with a security guard over a reserved parking space and pushed the man down. The security guard sustained some injuries. The incident, I understand, was hushed up with the apartment owner (who the other man was visiting) sorting out the security guard’s medical bills. Such largesse doesn’t always happen. That’s why it’s imperative that the government, step in to help us, at least, with something like employees state pension so that we have something to fall back upon.
Most of those who work as security guards are retired personnel or are in the job because health issues prevent them from doing other things. I have been a security guard for around five years now. I used to be a daily wage labourer but I fell 24 feet into a dry well in the middle of a job. Ever since my hip and my spine have had some issues which prevent me from heavy manual labour. One of my acquaintances suggested that I try out as a security guard.
The pay isn’t great but it’s comparatively easy work. Apart from opening and closing the gate and monitoring the premises (we have security cameras for that), security guards have to make sure that everything is neat and clean. We have to turn on the lights in the evening and the generator when needs be. We don’t have to park their cars for them but we do have to ensure that people park in their designated bays only. Apartment owners and tenants tend to be very particular about guarding their turf in the common areas of the building and it can lead to a dicey situation if they refuse to follow the system. Thankfully, most of the people here are amiable and we have not had any problems thus far, possibly because it’s a small apartment building – with just 48 flats.
Each shift is 24 hours, which means I get the following day off. In this regard I need to work for only 15 days a month. However, it’s very difficult to take an off on duty days as there is just two of us security guards here. Often I end up missing out on weddings and funerals in the family but that is alright, at least I am able to put food on the table. I live with my wife, Jayakumari, who helps out in an anganwadi, and two school-going sons, Amal and Akhil, in Poonthura. My only wish is that my sons have a better destiny than their parents.
As told to Nita Sathyendran
(A weekly column on the men and women who make Thiruvananthapuram what it is)
