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‘No longer feel safe’: Sangeeta Bijlani applies for firearm licence after robbery at Pune home
Veteran Bollywood actor and former Miss India, Sangeeta Bijlani, has applied for firearm licence, stating she no longer feels safe in her own home following robbery and vandalism at her farmhouse in Pavana Nagar on July 18.
PUNE: Veteran Bollywood actor and former Miss India, Sangeeta Bijlani, has applied for a firearm licence, stating she no longer feels safe in her own home following robbery and vandalism at her farmhouse in Pavana Nagar on July 18.
During her visit to the city on Saturday, Bijlani expressed deep concern over women’s safety in remote residential areas.
Highlighting the vulnerability of residents in the Pavana region—known for its scattered villas and limited civic infrastructure—Bijlani called for better safety measures.
“I met Pune rural superintendent of police Sandeep Singh Gill and requested him to expedite the investigation into the robbery incident,” Bijlani said.
“I’ve lived there peacefully for twenty years, but for the first time, I don’t feel safe anymore. This isn’t just about a burglary—it’s about a complete breakdown of security for women and families living in isolated bungalows and farmhouses,” she said.
The incident came to light when Bijlani returned to her property after nearly four months, having stayed away due to her father’s illness. Accompanied by two domestic staff members, she discovered signs of forced entry.
“I was frightened to find the main entrance door broken,” she recalled. “As I walked through the house, the extent of destruction was horrifying. Graffiti with obscenities was scrawled across glass panels and walls, household items were smashed, and everything looked deliberately ruined,” she said.
According to Lonavla rural police, the robbery and vandalism occurred sometime between March 7 and July 18 while the farmhouse was unoccupied. Initial investigations revealed that the intruders broke in through a window after damaging its grille, stole valuables, and vandalised the property systematically.
Among the stolen items were an old television worth ₹7,000 from the main hall and ₹50,000 in cash kept in her father’s room. Another television in Bijlani’s bedroom was smashed. Police said all CCTV cameras around the property were destroyed, suggesting a “targeted and premeditated act” to avoid identification.
The upper floors also bore signs of smoke and fire damage. Beds were slashed, the refrigerator was broken, and nearly every room was ransacked.
An FIR has been registered at the Lonavla rural police station under sections 331(3), 331(4), 305(a), 324(4), and 324(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against unidentified accused.
Gill has assured Bijlani of swift and strict action. “He has been extremely supportive, and I appreciate his assurance. But now it’s time things start moving fast,” Bijlani said.
