Dacoits

Dacoity Janita & Wendy Dacoity is criminal activity involving robbery by groups of armed bandits. The word "Dacoity" is the anglicized version of the Indian word ḍakaitī.

Dacoity means "armed robbery". Dacoit means "a bandit".

Dacoity in south India was one of the several inter-related forms of rural crime wth a strong element of social and economic protest, running from spontaneous looting to banditry as the experimental stage of incipient revolt. Far from being confined to “criminal tribes”, recourse to crime was frequent and widespread in rural society, especially in response to famine and high prices, in reaction to the disruptive impact of colonialism, and in the attempts of declining rural groups to maintain or regain their old preeminence.

In the course of the year 1923 a gang of dacoits in the Borsad Taluk of the Bombay Presidency spread terrorism to such a degree that orginary law and order were seriously threatened. The local Government was not convinced that the inhabitants of this area were doing their duty to the State; additional police were therefore quartered on the locality, and the cost charged to the people.

In the book Heat and Dust, Olivia finds out that the Nawab is said to protect a gang of dacoits and gets money in return. This gang of dacoits was part of Husbands Wedding Day disturbances that happen every year, and last year it had caused 12 killed and 75 wounded. Major Minnies and others criticize the Nawab for being involved, but Olivia wasn't sure whether to believe or not. In the end, when the Nawab visits Harry in London, he tells him about the dacoit's hanging.

The gullied badlands centring on the Chambal River have long been famous for barbouring violent gangs of criminals called dacoits, who find shlter in its many hidden ravines.


 * Bibliography **

Old Indian Photos. Portrait of a Family Known as Criminals called Dacoits. 1 March 2009. 14 September 2010

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Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Dacoity. 9 August 2010. 13 September 2010 < [] >.

"India." Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.. 15th ed. 2010. Print.