Private security guards find it tough

The lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic has put a question mark over the livelihood of security guards serving business establishments.

The impact was felt on the very second day of the 21-day curfew as some of these persons entrusted with the security of the business establishments found it difficult to reach their work spot in the absence of public transport.

They either pedalled their way to their workplace on bicycles or rode a two-wheeler only to be intercepted by patrolling police teams especially at the night as they returned home.

“I was asked to take a detour from the main carriageway to reach my home last evening even though I showed them the identification card issued by my employer. My colleague also faced the same issue when he returned home after his night duty”, said a security guard of a textile showroom on Gandhi Road.

Another issue faced by the private security guards posted for duty at the business establishments was the non-availability of food and snacks. “On the Janata curfew day itself we found it difficult as the eateries remained closed on the day. But some good Samaritans offered food packets to us at the behest of the police,” said private security personnel posted for duty at a furniture outlet.

Ramu (60) of Punnainallur, employed by a private security providing agency in Thanjavur, said the closure of eateries had really put him in a fix as he used to depend on the hotels for his lunch. “As I am living alone in a hut at Punnainallur, I use to leave for work around 7 a.m. hence I cook for myself only in the night”, he said.

Now with almost all hotels in the bazaar closing down, he has to prepare food both morning and evening. Closure of petty shops has also caused them some discomfort .

On the other hand, another set of security guards who were deployed in banking and other bigger establishments through security service providers having national-level or state-level network said their requirements such as food, tea or snacks were taken care of by the institutions that have engaged their agencies. Further, the identification cards issued by their companies save them during the checks conducted by the patrolling teams, they claimed.