Gun licence adds weight to guard's CV

To get hired as a security guard, an arms licence is a necessary qualification.

To get hired as a security guard, an arms licence is a necessary qualification.

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In fact, it is such a prized item that security guard Vishram Singh, 23, had mortgaged his ancestral land in Uttar Pradesh to get his hands on one before setting out for Delhi in 2008, his family said.

"Though our clients come from varied backgrounds, a very large number of them are those who want employment as security guards," said a senior police officer from the licensing branch of Delhi Police.

According to Kunwar Vikram Singh, chairman of the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI), around 18,000 gunmen are currently employed across Delhi's 700 registered security agencies.

The licences of hundreds of others are being processed.

"During interview, many tell us that they want a license so they could earn a better salary," the officer said. "While an unlicensed security guard is offered around Rs 4000 as basic salary, one with an arms license can earn at least Rs 6000," the officer said.

This is also why most security guards come from police or paramilitary backgrounds.

"According to the Private Security Agencies Regulation Act (PSARA) of 2005, persons from such backgrounds are to be given preference not only because it presupposes a certain level of training, but also because they are proficient in the use of arms," the officer said.