Gang wars over chanda in Bhopal

Bhopal is yet again in the middle of a turf war between various gangs of eunuchs.

On Wednesday, unidentified assailants fired three shots at Mili, a eunuch at the busy New Market area of the city. Mili is admitted at hospital and the police are looking into turf wars as the most probable cause of the attack.

According to the police, eunuchs have parceled out Bhopal among themselves for collection of Chanda or alms. Control over the more paying areas, in other words the areas that yield more revenue in the city often become the reason for gang wars.

Wednesday's incident seems to be outcome of old rivalry between the Kajal gang whose leader is currently lodged in jail for another murder case. The police too do not know much about the workings of eunuch gangs owing to the secretive nature in which they operate.

The police also do not have an accurate record of the number of eunuchs too. In January 2017, two eunuchs attacked another eunuch with knives in the old city area. In March the previous year, a eunuch was arrested for trying to extort Rs 1 crore from another eunuch and stabbing her.

Citizens too have voiced their concerns over the matter but the police don't seem interested in doing anything. Complaints of forcible extraction of alms and harassment are common and even when the police are involved they usually ask the complainant to sort out the matter among themselves.

Attempts at mainstreaming eunuchs in Bhopal have failed too, as most eunuchs find their business of extortion more lucrative than working in regular jobs.