Feeling unsafe at my farmhouse after break-in, need firearm licence: Sangeeta Bijlani

Pune, Oct 11 (PTI) Nearly three months after a theft at her farmhouse near the Pavana dam in Maharashtra's Pune district, actor Sangeeta Bijlani has expressed concern over the lack of progress in the investigation and said she no longer feels safe at the property.

Bijlani recently met Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill to check on the status of the probe. The actor said she has also applied for a firearm licence, citing concerns over 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,” she told PTI on Friday night.

She said SP Gill assured her that the police would “go to the bottom of the case and nab the culprits”.

The actor described the incident as deeply disturbing.

“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.

Bijlani said the incident has shaken not just her, but also the wider community in the area.

“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 claimed.

For the first time, she said 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 the authorities will take strong measures and expedite the investigation to restore the confidence of the residents of the area.

In July, unidentified persons broke into her property and vandalised the household items like refrigerator, TV sets and furniture and scribbled obscene graffiti on the walls. They also took away Rs 50,000 in cash and a television worth Rs 7,000, according to the police. PTI SPK NR