The following notice of Banjara criminals is abstracted from Major
Gunthorpe's interesting account: [232] "In the palmy days of the tribe
dacoities were undertaken on the most extensive scale. Gangs of fifty
to a hundred and fifty well-armed men would go long distances from
their _tandas_ or encampments for the purpose of attacking houses
in villages, or treasure-parties or wealthy travellers on the high
roads. The more intimate knowledge which the police have obtained
concerning the habits of this race, and the detection and punishment
of many criminals through approvers, have aided in stopping the heavy
class of dacoities formerly prevalent, and their operations are now on
a much smaller scale. In British territory arms are scarcely carried,
but each man has a good stout stick (_gedi_), the bark of which is
peeled off so as to make it look whitish and fresh. The attack is
generally commenced by stone-throwing and then a rush is made, the
sticks being freely used and the victims almost invariably struck
about the head or face. While plundering, Hindustani is sometimes
spoken, but as a rule they never utter a word, but grunt signals to
one another. Their loin-cloths are braced up, nothing is worn on the
upper part of the body, and their faces are generally muffled. In house
dacoities men are posted at different corners of streets, each with
a supply of well-chosen round stones to keep off any people coming
to the rescue. Banjaras are very expert cattle-lifters, sometimes
taking as many as a hundred head or even more at a time. This kind
of robbery is usually practised in hilly or forest country where the
cattle are sent to graze. Secreting themselves they watch for the
herdsman to have his usual midday doze and for the cattle to stray
to a little distance. As many as possible are then driven off to a
great distance and secreted in ravines and woods. If questioned they
answer that the animals belong to landowners and have been given into
their charge to graze, and as this is done every day the questioner
thinks nothing more of it. After a time the cattle are quietly sold
to individual purchasers or taken to markets at a distance."