30
[CHAP. I, ΡT. III.
8 were classed as not brought to trial, and 4 were excluded. The total value of the property
stolen amounted to Es. 38,700, of which property valued at Es. 27,321 was recovered,
Es. 15,000 being in promissory notes.
3. The period under report was a bad one for crime ; and the dacoity was Bala Pichad's
first venture, and probably had no connection with plague. There is nothing in the figures
to show that offences against property accompanied by violence took place more frequently in
consequence of plague measures, though the evacuation of villages is in certain localities
followed by an increase of house-breaking and theft."
As regards Bijápur District, Mr. Bagnell, the Collector, reports :—*
"Offences against property and person were committed in 8 villages, all in the Hungund
Táluka, which were vacated owing to the presence of plague there. The thefts were of a
petty character, except in 5 cases out of the 1(5 that occurred in these villages. The value of
the property stolen in the 5 cases varied from Es. 325 to Es. 100. In Sulebhávi, one of the
villages invaded by the offenders, a body of dacoits attacked a man living in a hut and beat
him, his brother, and servants with sticks and axes. The man died soon after from the effects
of the wounds. The offenders have been arrested, but the police, who were on patrol on the
night of the offence, appear to have been negligent in their watch."
Mr. Pratt, Collector of Sholápur, reports strongly on the opportunities for dacoities and
theft afforded by evacuation † : —
"1. . . . Evacuation offers great opportunities for violent crime, of which the criminal
classes are not slow to avail themselves. This fact is pretty well established even without
statistical corroboration, and it is generally the practice in this District to issue temporary
arms licenses for protection of person and property among the evacuated population.
2. However, I attach hereto statistics of crime due to plague furnished by the District
Superintendent of Police, Sholápur.
3. To this I may add that in August 1898, in Akalkot, dacoits raided the evacuated
population, looted 5 huts, burnt down 2 huts, seriously injured 2 men and murdered another.
Statement of Crime in the Sholápur District chiring the last Quarter of 1897.
Nature of offence.
Dacoities
Robberies
House-breakings and thefts
Thefts
Total ...
Number.
13
o
17
18
50
A comparison of these figures with those of previous years show a decided increase in
these crimes."
The District Superintendent of Police, Belgaum, reports as follows on this question·:— ‡
" Seventeen robberies and dacoities took place in the three months in question, of which
8 may reasonably be put down to the presence of plague.
" 5. As regards the question of robberies and dacoities being more frequent on account
of the evacuation of villages owing to the presence of plague, I think there can be little doubt
that the fact of people living in isolated huts in the fields does tend to increase these classes of
crime. For instance, the Grokák dacoity, 1898 ; in this case the complainant was living at a
considerable distance from Gokák in a hut quite separate from any one else. I feel convinced
he would not have been dacoited had he been living in his house in the middle of Gokák.
The same as regards the Pachápur dacoity ; here three women living out in a hut'in the fields,
about a mile from Pachápur, were dacoited ; they would have been safe in their house in
Pachápur. The Nichanki dacoity was due to the isolation of the complainant in a hut, and
* No. E.R/320 of 9th Mach
1899.
†
No. 833 of 19th February 1899.
‡ No. 406 of 10th March 1899.