Nearly three months after a theft at her farmhouse near Pavana dam in Maharashtra’s Pune district, actress Sangeeta Bijlani has voiced frustration over the lack of progress in the investigation and said she no longer feels safe at the property.
Bijlani met Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill earlier this week to check on the status of the probe into the July incident, in which unidentified persons allegedly vandalised her farmhouse, stole valuables and defaced walls with obscene graffiti.
The actress has also applied for a firearm licence, citing concerns for her personal safety.
“I have been staying there for the last 20 years. Pavana has been a home to me, and it has been three and a half months since the horrific incident of theft at my farmhouse, but there is still no breakthrough,” Bijlani told PTI on Friday night.
Police said the burglars took away Rs 50,000 in cash and a television valued at Rs 7,000, and damaged several household items including refrigerators, TV sets and furniture.
“There was a theft and housebreaking. It was scary. Luckily, I was not there. There were obscene things and graffiti written on the wall inside the house,” she said, adding that the incident had left her deeply disturbed.
Bijlani said SP Gill assured her that the police would “go to the bottom of the case and nab the culprits.”
The actress noted that the episode had shaken not just her but the wider Pavana community as well. “There are several residents in Pavana, including senior citizens and families. Safety is important. Lately, because of these incidents, the residents of the Pavana area are feeling unsafe,” she said.
Bijlani added that for the first time, she feels the need to be armed for self-protection. “In the wake of this incident, I have sought a firearm licence from the Pune rural police. As a woman, if I go alone to the house, I think some sort of protection needs to be there. I never felt the need to have a firearm licence, but this is the first time I am feeling insecure,” she said.
“I am in need of a firearm, and this is the first time I am feeling unsafe and a little afraid,” she added.
Bijlani said she hopes authorities take stronger measures and expedite the investigation to restore confidence among residents in the area.