Pakistani Dacoit in Dhurandhar: Stories of dacoits have always fascinated people in Pakistan and across South Asia. A dacoit character like Rehman of the film Dhurandhar, who on one hand is a criminal in the eyes of the law but sometimes becomes a hero among the common people standing against oppression, reminds many real-life Pakistani dacoits.
In the past decades, in different areas of Pakistan, especially Sindh, Southern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, there were many such dacoits whose names kept echoing in newspapers, TV and folklore. Some got the image of heroes like Robin Hood, some remained just a name of fear. This trend happened even during the British era. There used to be terror of dacoits like Malangi and Nizam Lohar in Punjab province even at that time.
Let us try to know the stories of some famous Pakistani dacoits, which are helpful in understanding the real background of characters like Rehman.
Robbery and gangsterism in Pakistan are not mere amateur crimes, but are linked to deep social reasons. Large parts of Sindh, southern Punjab and Balochistan have been ruled by warlords and zamindars for centuries. A few families have large land holdings, while farmers and laborers are in almost bonded condition. When land is snatched from a family, or honor is attacked and justice is not provided, then many times the same people take up arms. This is the real ground for characters like Rahman.
Akshay Khanna in the role of Rehman dacoit.
When people believe that police stations are only for the powerful, they sometimes start taking refuge in dacoit gangs. Such gangs also become popular by helping the villagers in their fights, or by standing up against the warriors. Especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas, easy availability of weapons, smuggling and unemployment showed the youth the path of guns. Someone starts with small crimes, then becomes a famous dacoit by becoming part of a gang. Under these circumstances, many notorious dacoits of Pakistan were born whose stories are recorded in folklore today.
The raw area along the banks of the Indus River (Indus) i.e. the area with marshy and dense bushes has been a stronghold of dacoits for many decades. From here many gangs established a network of kidnapping, ransom, robbery and armed intervention in land disputes.
Chalo Bahil, Nazru are counted among those dacoits of Sindh, whose names repeatedly appeared in Pakistani newspapers and TV reports. It is said that he started with a small crime. There was a fight over land and honour, but gradually he became one of the most powerful dacoits of the Kachha area. Dozens of kidnapping and murder cases were registered against Chalo. His gang was accused of kidnapping rich businessmen, landowners and even relatives of government officials and collecting ransom.
At the local level, some people also said that Chalo Bahel used to adjudicate in the disputes of the poor and at times stood up against the atrocities of the Vaders. He was both a criminal and also a giver of justice for some people. His story reminds us of film dacoits like Rahman.
Ghulam Rasool, head of Chhotu gang of Pakistan.
In recent years, the name of Chhotu Gang has been much talked about in Pakistan. This was basically an armed gang which was active in the Kachcha area of Punjab. It is said about the surname Chhotu that he was earlier involved in petty crimes. The environment of local landlords, police and mutual hostility forced him to flee to the Kachcha area and form a gang. Kidnapping, ransom, attacks on police parties, smuggling of illegal weapons and drugs. There came a time when Chhotu gang openly challenged the police, and the entire area started living in fear of them. Later, Pakistani forces took major action in Kachha area, the operation continued for several days. Ultimately Chhotu Gang suffered huge losses, many members were killed and their network was largely broken.
Stories of gangs with Manjoli and many other names are also found in Kachcha areas. These gangs would camp in river islands and dense forests, have frequent encounters with the police and keep a network of informers in every village. It often comes to light in their stories that it started with some family or caste feud, but later the same people became professional criminals.
Nazar Ali Nazru is counted among the notorious dacoits of Pakistan. Nazru was accused in 200 cases. He was involved in looting, highway robbery, kidnapping for ransom, murder and other crimes in Sindh province.
Nazar Ali Nazru was accused in about 200 cases.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and former tribal areas too, stories of armed gangs, smugglers and dacoits have been going on for many decades. Although here words like robber, smuggler or militant are often used instead of the word dacoit, but there have been many cases in which things like robbing travelers by blocking roads, attacking entire convoys in hostility and extorting money from traders coming from across the border were done. The names of many of these characters keep appearing in the media, but a common pattern is that they start from some tribal rivalry, or conflict with the state, or economic compulsion and gradually turn towards organized crime.
A dacoit like Rahman of the film Dhurandhar is often shown helping the poor by robbing from the rich. Even in the context of Pakistan, some dacoits were given this kind of colour. In the stories of villages and towns, when a dacoit stands up against a tyrant, a corrupt police officer or a moneylender, people downplay his other violent actions. Sometimes political forces make a secret agreement with a dacoit. In return for help in elections, intimidating opponents, etc., instigation and protection. The media, whether unwittingly or not, presents their stories in an exciting manner, which increases curiosity and attraction among the public. When the common man feels helpless, he looks for a face who can fight the system. Characters like Dacoit Rehman, Chalo Bahel or Chhotu capture the same imagination. Even though in reality the victims of their bullets are often innocent people.
If we look at the stories of Chalo Bahel, Chhotu Gang, Nazru and other dacoits, some common points are clearly visible. It started with some personal injustice or quarrel. Land snatching, caste/tribal enmity, attack on honor or false police case. When justice is not provided, some people take up guns. First one or two incidents, then gathering of associates, then camping in raw or hilly areas and gradually the name of the gang becomes famous in the entire state. Some poor people call him their savior, whom he saves from raiders. Many people cooperate with them only out of fear. Hatred of the police sometimes turns into sympathy for the dacoits.
Most of the stories end in a shootout with the police/army; Some spend years in jail. Very few people are able to return to normal life.
Characters like Chalo Bahail, Chhotu Gang and Rehman teach us three big things.
There is no definite data on how many dacoits like Rahman of Dhurandhar were there in Pakistan, but the countless names of Chalo Bahil, Chhotu Gang and Kachcha area are proof that such characters have been taking birth again and again. These stories not only thrill us, but also ask questions. Have we been able to create a society where no one has to resort to guns and forests for justice? Until this question is answered, dacoits like Rehman will continue to return to our borders and our stories, sometimes in the name of Chalo, sometimes in the name of Chhotu.
