Hindustan Times 31.07.2009
Pehelwans to add muscle to demolition drive
The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) is adding muscle to its operations. Soon, hefty six-feet tall bouncers will accompany MCG officials on encroachment removal drives.
The civic body recently floated a tender inviting bids from agencies that supply bouncers to bars and discotheques, looking for gutsy pehelwans (wrestlers).
The 20 bouncers should meet minimum norms in height (six ft), weight (75 kg) and chest size (36 inches).
These norms are stricter than those for Haryana Police recruits. The police seek jawans with a minimum of 5.8 feet height and a 33-inch chest size.
Shamsher Singh, whose company provides bouncers to pubs, said bouncers meeting the MCG’s specifications were available for Rs 500-1,000 for seven-hour shifts.
MCG commissioner RK Khullar said the manpower shortage in the Gurgaon police forced them to look elsewhere. “Encroachment removal drives get delayed due to non-availability of policemen. Most of our officials haven’t been provided gunmen. So, hiring bouncers makes sense,” Khullar said.
Gurgaon police commissioner SS Deswal admitted his department was short of about 1,200 personnel. “The strength of the police hasn’t kept pace with the rise in population and the growth of the city. Gurgaon has 3,810 personnel for 25 lakh people. This includes 300 traffic police personnel. There is just one policeman to protect 656 people.”
Compared to this Delhi has one policeman to protect 425 people.
