Another man, Lal Singh, was approached by a group of eunuchs in 2004 following the birth of a son. They demanded 25,000 rupees, the equivalent to approximately $600, but he refused to pay. Nothing happened, at least not immediately. However, in July 2007, nearly three years after he refused to pay up, the gang in question allegedly broke into his home. The next thing he knew, he said, he woke up lying on the side of the road, bleeding profusely from the area of his groin where part of his external male genitalia had formerly been. The once successful businessman has now become a eunuch beggar after sending his family away for safety reasons.
After his wound had healed, Singh told a reporter, the gang taught him how to apply make-up and put him on the streets. After each day of begging, they routinely take away whatever money he obtains. According to the police in Delhi, the eunuch gangs are a growing problem, given their somewhat large numbers.
"Giving money to eunuchs at the time of a birth or a wedding was a voluntary gesture," said a senior police official who requested anonymity. "Now the eunuchs make demands running into several thousands."
This brief piece only shows what purportedly happened to two men in recent history. However, given the large numbers of eunuchs in India causes one to wonder whether the practice of forcible castration outside the various gangs' ranks is much more prevalent than is being reported, and whether the practice is being utilized to keep their numbers growing.
