Dressed as 'Kinnars', Jobless Youth Knock on Doors for a Living in Uttarakhand – One Held, two fled the scene.
Dehradun | July 30
In the hill towns of Uttarakhand, where jobs are few and dreams run dry, some unemployed youth are now turning to a practice traditionally reserved for the transgender community—going door to door to bless newborns in exchange for money. It’s not theft or fraud, they say—just survival.
The police in Tehri Garhwal on today arrested one such young man posing as a ‘Kinnar’.
He was part of a group that visited a household to perform the customary ritual of blessing a newborn, something the transgender community has long done and society has quietly accepted.
But when their behavior raised doubts, the family tipped off the police. Three others fled before the cops arrived; one was caught.
“The arrested youth is not a member of the "Kinnar community" in Uttarakhand. He had adopted their dress and style to earn a living,” said a policeman.
“We suspect this is part of a larger giroh moving through towns and villages.”
But behind this so-called "gang", lies a more painful truth. Uttarakhand’s unemployed youth are caught in a bind—no government jobs, no industry, and no support system.
For many, dressing as a Kinnar and performing customary blessings has become an unconventional but non-violent way to earn money.
It may look like an act, but to them, it’s a means of dignity without resorting to crime.
“Call it what you want—but these boys are not thieves. They’re not hurting anyone.
They’re just trying to make a few hundred rupees by mimicking a ritual that’s part of our culture,” says Shyam Prasad, a local schoolteacher.
“We should be asking why our youth are forced to do this in the first place.”
Locals say these young men often pick homes where word has spread about a new baby’s birth and arrive with dholaks, claps, blessings—and hope for a little cash. It’s not always perfect.
Sometimes, the act breaks down under questioning. But it’s rarely out of malice.
The arrested youth is now in police custody, while a manhunt has been launched for his companions. Officials are verifying if similar incidents have taken place elsewhere.
As the police investigate, the story has triggered deeper questions: Are these young men criminals—or just casualties of a system that’s failed them?
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