BENGALURU: On Independence Day, we honour our freedom fighters, and salute the Army, Air Force and the Navy protecting us. Yet, we spare no thought to the security guards who are at our doorstep, keeping us safe 24x7. They work long hours, sometimes even more than 20 hours a day, for a meagre salary that can range anywhere between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000.
Often, they have no homes to stay and make do by sleeping on the streets, under the stairs of the apartments they serve or in a room that doubles as a storage space. 40-year-old N Sathish Kumar at Malleswaram has been working for 16 years, after running away from home in Holenarasipur. With dreams of entering the army, Satish was, unfortunately, two inches too short and couldn't make it – forcing him to take up the duty of a guard.
He works a 12-hour shift for a salary of Rs 7,000 and then does another 12-hour night shift at a nearby temple for another Rs 6,000 to manage his expenses. He has no place to stay and so sleeps on the street while on duty for three hours every day after a police inspection past 12 am.
Without complaining, Sathish pursues his passion of travelling. He has nowhere in particular to go, so he goes to Tirupathi. "My routine is duty, sleep and food, and repeat," says a spirited Sathish. He does hope that the situation improves, even after 16 years of endless toil. "I have no family but everyone here knows I am sincere. I have seen guards who drink away all that they have because life is hard. But, we need to be strong and find contentment," he says.
This job places no age limits, so 75-year old Ismail is employed. He has been working 24X7 for eight years at an apartment in Rajaji Nagar, and earns a mere Rs 5,000 per month per 12-hour shift. He struggles to meet his basic needs but hopes his family of four in Shivamogga can survive on their own by doing odd jobs. "It is good when I visit them every three months. Most of my savings is spent on travel and if I have anything left, I send it to my family," he says. Ismail had to take up this job after losing his small business on spices. “90 per cent of the guards struggle to make ends meet,” he says.
ATM security guard Vijay Kumar at Sheshadripuram earns Rs 8,000 for a 12-hour shift every month, and is forced to live with his parents along with his wife and two children in a small room in Yeshwanthpur. “We stay up trying to protect people but nobody helps us,” he says. He was forced to buy a Rs 500-shoe and the company deducted Rs 900 from his salary for the uniform. “We have no other choice but to obey.”
Salary for a 12-hour shift:
Rs 5,000- Rs 10,000
Not able to meet expenses, many work 24x7
Uniform and shoe expenses are deducted from salary