Have a private guard? You may be in for trouble!

Have you hired or planning to hire private security guards to protect  your home or office? If yes, better do a background check immediately to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the law as many of them are found to be taking up the jobs furnishing gun licences or weapons obtained illegally by furnishing fake certificates.On the other hand, the police have also warned all private security agencies of stern action if they do not reveal complete information to the Task Force about the persons they are recruiting as security guards.Only a couple of days ago, three Biharis working as armed security guards at a star hotel near Tank bund were arrested by the Task Force for procuring firearms by submitting fake papers.Task Force DCP VB Kamalasan Reddy told Expresso that the recent arrests have unearthed a major racket in forging documents to obtain gun licences. Police suspect the racketeers have nexus with inter-state gunrunners and criminals in Bihar.Hundreds of those posted as security guards at various companies and mansions have illegal weapons obtained from Nagaland, Orissa and Assam. “We have issued notices to several agencies in this regard,” the DCP said.About 2,000 private security agencies operate in the twin cities deploying around 10,000 security guards at client premises.“Many from Bihar are migrating to the city and joining security agencies that are offering them good pay packets. Most of them allegedly possess illegal guns and fake licences, which were obtained by furnishing fake documents,” he said.Citing another case, he said four persons from Bihar, posted as security guards at a multi-national company at Madhapur, were arrested as they possessed illegal arms obtained by furnishing fake documents in Nagaland.In the recent case, police found during the probe that the gun licences of the arrested guards were forged as no records related to them were found with the district administration concerned. District authorities maintain a record of gun licence holders who live in their respective districts.

By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com