Illiterate, yet they know the law

They cannot read a word in any language, most have never gone to school, but when it comes to the law of the land, they know it like the back of their hand. Karan Choudhury reports

They cannot read a word in any language, most have never gone to school, but when it comes to the law of the land, they know it like the back of their hand.

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Thanks to their countless encounters with the police, this community in this tiny village, about three-hour drive from Delhi, has learnt a lot about the law.

The five men, who allegedly abducted a 30-year-old woman from Dhaula Kuan and raped her, belong to this community of 30-35 members.

"In the past, they have been involved in a number of cases of cow-slaughter, robbery, theft and even gang-rapes. So they know which section is for what crime. They even have lawyers on their payroll. Most importantly they use the law to their benefit," said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity, as he is not authorized to speak to the media.

The police said the five accused, and other members of their community, are heavily into criminal activities.