Youngsters as younger as 12 or 13 are despatched to those villages for coaching
Bhopal:
Three distant villages in Madhya Pradesh – Kadia, Gulkhedi, and Hulkhedi – have gained nationwide infamy as “nurseries” of criminals.
Located about 117 kilometers from the state capital, Bhopal, these villages within the Rajgarh district are recognized for coaching youngsters within the “arts of theft, theft, and dacoity”.
The police, even with their authority, are recognized to tread fastidiously on this area.
The Starting Of Crime
Youngsters as younger as 12 or 13 are despatched to those villages by their dad and mom to be educated in legal actions. The dad and mom, after assembly with gang leaders, resolve who can present one of the best “schooling” for his or her little one. To enroll on this grim curriculum, households pay a charge starting from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.
The kids are taught numerous legal abilities akin to pickpocketing, snatching luggage in crowded locations, operating quick, evading the police, and in addition enduring beatings if caught.
After finishing a yr within the gang, the kid’s dad and mom obtain an annual fee of Rs 3 to lakh Rs 5 lakh from the gang chief.
The “Grand Theft”
These villages have produced a number of the most crafty thieves, whose legal actions have made headlines throughout India.
On August 8, a lavish vacation spot marriage ceremony on the Hyatt Lodge in Jaipur took a darkish flip when a minor thief made off with a bag containing jewellery price Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 1 lakh in money. The grand occasion was the marriage of the son of a Hyderabad-based businessman.
Because the ceremony unfolded and the bride and groom have been being blessed, the groom’s mom positioned her white bag close by. Seizing the chance, the minor thief discreetly stole the bag, making off with the precious contents.
After committing the theft, his gang fled to Kadiya village within the Rajgarh district. To keep away from suspicion, they shortly disposed of the stolen jewellery after which tried to mix in by taking part in a Kanwar Yatra, a non secular pilgrimage.
Their plan may need succeeded if not for the swift investigation that adopted. Ultimately, the minor concerned within the theft was arrested, resulting in the publicity of your complete gang.
In one other incident,24-year-old Ravindra Sisodia stole a bag of knickknack at a marriage in Gurgaon in March.
In December 2023, Yash Sisodia, 22, stole a bag full of knickknack at a marriage ceremony in Delhi and fled, including to his report of 18 instances registered towards him in numerous states.
Challenges For Police
Jaideep Prasad, the Extra Director Common of Police of Regulation and Order, mentioned that the Rajgarh district is understood for harboring villages the place criminals function with impunity.
“Just lately, the Jaipur Police Commissioner contacted me relating to this main theft. Jewellery price round Rs 1.5 crore was stolen at a marriage, and we had causes to imagine the culprits have been from Rajgarh. We instantly developed data and commenced coordinating with different states,” he mentioned.
He mentioned that these criminals are so expert that they’ll assess the worth of knickknack with out even visiting a jeweler. Their main actions embrace coaching youngsters to steal, gamble, and promote liquor.
Mr Prasad emphasised that fast motion and cooperation between state police forces have led to important breakthroughs in such instances.
One other senior police officer described the challenges confronted by regulation enforcement in these areas.
“When we now have to go to those villages, we take the pressure of a number of police stations with us to apprehend the accused,” Ramkumar Bhagat, the Inspector of the Boda police station, mentioned. “These criminals are extremely educated in bag lifting, financial institution thefts, and different crimes, usually utilizing minors below the age of 17 to hold out their actions.”
He mentioned that these villages, notably Kadiya, Gulkhedi, and Hulkhedi, are also known as “nurseries” or “colleges” of crime, the place youngsters are groomed from a younger age to grow to be skilled thieves.
“A lot of the thefts are carried out by minors, making it much more difficult to fight this deeply ingrained legal tradition,” Mr Bhagat mentioned.
These villages are shrouded in secrecy and suspicion. Ladies, upon seeing any outsider, faux to be onerous of listening to.
If an unfamiliar individual enters the village, the residents instantly grow to be alert, particularly once they discover a digicam or cell phone. The surroundings is hostile to any type of scrutiny, reflecting the deep-rooted legal tradition.
These villages, positioned within the Pachor tehsil of Rajgarh district, have grow to be a hotspot for police forces from throughout the nation.
Mr Bhagat studies that over 300 youngsters from these villages are concerned in thefts at marriage ceremony ceremonies throughout numerous states. These gangs are extremely organized, conducting thorough recces earlier than adopting progressive ways to hold out their crimes.
Rich people inside the village additionally rent poor youngsters for 1-2 years by bidding processes that may attain as much as Rs 20 lakh.
As soon as educated, these youngsters usually earn 5 to 6 instances the funding, after which they’re launched from the gangs.
The dimensions of this legal operation is huge, with greater than 2,000 people from these villages having over 8,000 instances registered towards them in police stations throughout the nation.
These youngsters sometimes come from much less educated and impoverished households, however they’re groomed to mix in with the prosperous, enabling them to infiltrate high-profile occasions.
