Home Ministry tells states to police unchecked private security operators

NEW DELHI: The Home Ministry has asked states to crack down on unregistered private security operators in the wake the of rising crimes by guards of unregulated agencies.

The ministry held a meeting with the state authorities on Friday for the first time in nine years since passing of the Private Security Agencies Regulation Act, 2005.

The ministry’s Additional Secretary, Rajiv Gauba, decided at the meeting that a web portal will be set up within two months through which licensing of private security agencies will take place and the government will also put online names of all registered security operators.

As much as 80% of private security agencies in India are unregistered and most states did not even have a proper database of private security operators, it emerged at the meeting. MoS for Home Kiren Rijiju had earlier raised concerns on guards of unregistered firms indulging in crimes like rape and murder.