Children as young as 12 or 13 are sent to these villages by their parents to be trained in criminal activities. The parents, after meeting with gang leaders, decide who can provide the best education for their child.
To enrol in this training, families pay a fee of ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh.
Under this training, the children are taught various criminal skills such as pickpocketing, snatching bags in crowded places, running fast, evading the police, and also enduring beatings if caught.
These villages have produced some of the most grand thieves, whose criminal activities have made headlines across India. According to the NDTV report, a lavish destination wedding at Jaipur's Hyatt Hotel took a dark turn when a minor thief made off with a bag containing jewellery worth ₹ 1.5 crore and ₹ 1 lakh in cash.
When an unfamiliar person enters the village, the residents become highly alert, especially if they spot a camera or mobile phone. The atmosphere is hostile to any form of scrutiny, underscoring the entrenched criminal culture.