Bareilly Hair Trader Alleges Rs 3 Lakh Robbery, Claims Police Delay FIR Registration
A hair trader in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, has come forward with serious allegations that he was robbed of a substantial quantity of human hair valued at approximately Rs 3 lakh. The trader, identified as Umesh Kumar, asserts that despite his repeated efforts to report the crime, the local police have failed to formally register an First Information Report (FIR) in the matter.
Conflicting Accounts Between Trader and Police Authorities
Umesh Kumar, a resident of Gelatanda village under the Nawabganj police station jurisdiction, supplies human hair for the production of wigs and hair extensions. He detailed the incident to the media, stating that on January 21, he received an enticing offer from an unidentified caller. The caller proposed to purchase hair at Rs 8,800 per kilogram, a rate significantly above the prevailing market price of Rs 7,500 to Rs 8,000 per kg.
Acting on this offer, Kumar traveled to a location within the Faridpur police station limits with a sack containing 35 kg of human hair in his vehicle. Upon arrival, he was allegedly ambushed by a group of eight men. According to his account, the assailants physically assaulted him, brandished a firearm, and forcibly took the entire consignment of hair.
Kumar claims he reported the robbery to the police on the same day and even approached the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for Bareilly, Anurag Arya, the following day. However, he insists that his formal complaint was never officially registered by the authorities.
In contrast, SSP Anurag Arya provided a different version of events to the press. The police official stated that Umesh Kumar was asked to file a formal written complaint but refused to do so. Despite this, Arya emphasized that the police took cognizance of the matter and initiated an investigation based on the trader's verbal account.
Subsequent Developments and Arrests in a Related Case
The situation took a new turn on January 29, approximately a week after the initial alleged robbery. Kumar reported that one of his fellow traders received a phone call from what he believed to be the same group of accused individuals, attempting to lure another victim with a similar offer for more hair.
Upon learning of this, Kumar intervened to prevent his colleague from falling into the trap and immediately informed the police about this development. Acting on this information, the Bareilly police were able to apprehend three suspects in connection with this second, attempted scheme.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Suraj (26), Farukh (30), and Pradeep (22). A case has been registered against them under several legal provisions, including Section 312 (attempting to commit robbery or dacoity while armed with a deadly weapon) and Section 313 (punishment for belonging to a gang of robbers or thieves) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Additional charges under the Motor Vehicles Act and the Arms Act have also been applied.
Despite these arrests, Umesh Kumar maintains that his original stolen goods, the 35 kg of human hair worth Rs 3 lakh, have not been recovered. He alleges that one of the accused has already sold the consignment. Frustrated with the lack of progress on his primary complaint, Kumar has threatened to escalate the matter by approaching higher authorities, including the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and the Director General of Police (DGP).
Broader Context of Human Hair Trade and Similar Incidents
This incident occurs against a backdrop of increasing global demand for natural Indian hair, which is highly prized for its quality and is extensively used in the manufacturing of wigs, hair extensions, and other beauty products. The trade represents a significant economic activity in certain regions.
In a separate but related case highlighting the value and vulnerability of this commodity, police in Bulandshahr district recently arrested five individuals for allegedly stealing 4.72 kg of human hair valued at around Rs 1 lakh. This theft occurred earlier in the same month, underscoring that such crimes are not isolated events.
The case in Bareilly raises important questions about police responsiveness and the procedural hurdles victims can face when attempting to report crimes, especially those involving high-value, movable goods like human hair. The conflicting narratives between the aggrieved trader and the police administration point to a communication breakdown and procedural discrepancies that have left the core issue of the Rs 3 lakh robbery unresolved from Kumar's perspective.
