Is Bollywood Inspiring Youth For Crime?

Sandesh Baliga, a 31 year youth facing trial for stalking two women in Australia has credited Bollywood movies as his inspiration for the rowdy act. 

Defending himself from the charges of pestering women by means of texting, calling and approaching the women excessively after single, chance meetings, he told the Hobart Magistrates Court that he indulged in the act after watching Bollywood movies that preach a woman falls in love after repeated persisting. 

Sandesh Baliga is not the only youth influenced by the charisma of movies. Readers would be surprised to know that the crime branch of the Delhi Police in the year 2013 uncovered 36 youths, who were inspired by Bollywood movies. 

Among the movies that inspired gullible youth to indulge in the crime were DHOOM; SPECIAL 26; BOMBAY TO GOA; KHOSLA KA GHOSLA; MUNNA BHAI MBBS; and OYE LUCKY LUCKY OYE. 

The movie that inspired maximum youth for committing crime is Yash Chopra’s DHOOM series. 

Ravindra Yadav, additional commissioner of police (crime) briefing media said, “As per our record the movie DHOOM inspired about 15 cases. The criminals found the idea of running on bike quite fascinating.” He added, “Wherever DHOOM was released there had been an increased rise in cases of gold chain snatching. In fact before the release of the movie DHOOM, bikes with 100cc engines were used, but after the release of the film, engines of 150-200cc came in the market and became the hot favourites of the criminals." 

Ravindra Yadav added, "Movies are thus becoming manuals for the criminals. Youngsters in lure of becoming rich overnight commit crimes like cheating as shown in the Akshay Kumar starrer movie SPECIAL 26 in which he impersonates a CBI officer.” 

Readers would be surprised to know the Delhi police arrested about 14 youths conning people impersonating like Police officers using his fake identities.