Dacoity in India: Investigating thievery and banditry in the british raj’s jewel

Abstract

Despite continued anti-banditry efforts, the problem of dacoity persists in India today. Although it has a long history in the subcontinent, relatively little quantitative work has been done on the topic. Using official crime data published by the Government of India and information in the Census of India, this study seeks to evaluate the impact of state-level factors on the prevalence of dacoit crimes in India using multilevel modeling. Certain state-level characteristics do, with statistical significance, impact the prevalence of dacoit crimes in India. Using this analysis as a framework, this study evaluates the importance of characteristics within Indian society that allow the practice of dacoity to continue in quite large numbers. The study seeks to provide Indian decision-makers with new insight to evaluate potential mechanisms to finally bring this century-old criminal activity to an end. By understanding what characteristics increase the likelihood of dacoity, decision-makers will be better positioned to shape effective tools for countering these actions. This research impacts the greater region, not just India. Banditry has a rich and lucrative history throughout South Asia. An empirical study in Indian banditry can provide insights for other states to counter their manifestations of the same problem.