Former Chambal dacoits now want to protect their stomping grounds

Robin, it must be remembered, was a hood. An outlaw and a renegade, albeit with an altruistic intention, as legend would have it. And it cannot be denied that his fabled green garb, not to mention his equally verdant stomping grounds —Sherwood Forest — imbued him with an allure that is not seen around less romantic classifications of criminal bands.

Could the success of that beatific green aura for the English brigand have reached the ears of our own desi bandit queens and kings leading to their impending transformation into green warriors? Tights and jackets were never the attire of choice for the Chambal ravines — the preferred place of business of dacoits. So, our bandits were never quite Robin Hood avatars in the Errol Flynn style.

However, their concern for the forests that once provided cover for their nefarious activities should not be entirely discounted. That they are seeking other post-retirement options than elections or extortion is very heartening as well. Sherwood Forest is a protected area now and gets millions of tourists.

Whether the Indian ex-dacoits’ intention to wield their formidable reputations will scare off potential illegal forest strippers and loggers is moot. But their renewed presence in the Chambal thickets as posses of green warriors could certainly give a fillip to tourism in the area.