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Bandit queens rule the roost in Chambal: The Times fo India
Lucknow, Apr 30: After a lull, dacoit gangs are once again thriving in the ravines of Chambal. But this time, women seem to be catching up with men.
Lucknow, Apr 30: After a lull, dacoit gangs are once again thriving in the ravines of Chambal. But this time, women seem to be catching up with men.
Struck by the halo attached to Phoolan Devi, former bandit- turned-politician, these women dacoits prefer to be known as Phoolan.
Gangs of women dacoits don’t show much interest in loots and dacoities but prefer kidnappings, said an official of the home department. The modus operandi of these gangs, however, is quite different from one another.
Out of 30-32 gangs of dacoits active in the state, 10-12 are led by women.
Old hands like Kusuma Nain and Sarla Jatav often trap victims by befriending them and then asking for huge ransoms. The two have dodged the police many times.
Kiran alias Lovely Pandey of Etawah is moving around in the ravines along with her new friend Rajjan Gujjar. The MP and UP governments have declared a reward of Rs 70,000 and Rs 20,000 on her head respectively. Sarla Jatav of Delhi, a fairly new entrant, has earned a reputation of ruthlessness. Though these women were members of the well- known dacoit gangs, the desire to carve a niche for them and forge ahead of men encouraged them to move away from their mentors.
Gangs of women dacoits don’t show much interest in loots and dacoities but prefer kidnappings, said an official of the home department. The modus operandi of these gangs, however, is quite different from one another.
Out of 30-32 gangs of dacoits active in the state, 10-12 are led by women.
Old hands like Kusuma Nain and Sarla Jatav often trap victims by befriending them and then asking for huge ransoms. The two have dodged the police many times.
Kiran alias Lovely Pandey of Etawah is moving around in the ravines along with her new friend Rajjan Gujjar. The MP and UP governments have declared a reward of Rs 70,000 and Rs 20,000 on her head respectively. Sarla Jatav of Delhi, a fairly new entrant, has earned a reputation of ruthlessness. Though these women were members of the well- known dacoit gangs, the desire to carve a niche for them and forge ahead of men encouraged them to move away from their mentors.