With their toned bodies, broad shoulders and tattooed biceps, they stand out from the crowd. Typically attired in well-fitting black T-shirts and jeans, they can easily be mistaken for members of some elite security unit.
It’s Sunday and some 50 of them are at a marriage hall where DMDK dissidents V.C. Chandhirakumar, S.R. Parthipan and C.H. Sekar are holding a meeting. Immediately after the event, the bodyguards form a security ring around the three MLAs and escort them out. To those used to seeing cadres doing this, this is something of a surprise.
Soon, a confrontation breaks out between a couple of cadres and one of the bodyguards. “You cannot push me. You have come here to provide security to us and not to threaten us,” the two say. But, before it can spin out of control, the leader of the bodyguards steps in and the potentially explosive situation is defused.
These days, bouncers don’t find jobs only at bars or venues of exclusive events. In Chennai, there are about 1,500 of them and they double up as security guards at political meetings and private events. “Our job is to ensure that an event take place smoothly,” says R. Sarathy, a bouncer-turned-security guard. When he not doing this, he trains youngsters in his gym. With the State going to the polls, they are in demand.
“Of late, we get a lot of assignments from political parties. We regulate the crowd and provide security to leaders,” says S. Krishnan, who used to work as a bouncer in a hotel.
Most of them are trained in some form of martial arts. C. Murugan, a native of Arakkonam, is an ace silambam exponent, while R. Sathishkumar, who works for a government undertaking, is a boxer. Their pay depends on the assignment and the time it requires. “We normally get between Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 3,000, including food allowance,” says Krishnan.
