The fading of last of Chambal´s `bandit queens´
(WorldNews India)

THE only woman Chambal dacoit in the past decade and a half, Sadhna Patel was arrested by the Madhya Pradesh Police on November 17 amidst a blaze of attention. Descriptions like `Aatank ka paryay (terror incarnate)`, `khoonkhar (ferocious)`, `dasyu sundari (bandit queen)` were bandied about as police paraded the dimunitive 22-year-old before cameras. A fortnight later, police say Patel is one of the quietest inmates in Satna Jail. And contrary to the reputation built around her, she may have never even fired a gun at anyone. Patel was arrested from the dense Kadiyan jungles in Satna district. Many dacoits are known to operate in the Uttar Pradesh-Madhya Pradesh border area, committing crimes...