Pune Viral Video: ‘Lady Don’ Hina Sheikh Allegedly Extorts Street Vendors on FC Road
Pune Viral Video: ‘Lady Don’ Hina Sheikh Allegedly Extorts Street Vendors on FC Road
Vendors claim harassment, threats, and violence; authorities accused of inaction despite repeated complaints
A disturbing case of street-level extortion has emerged from Pune’s bustling FC Road, where an alleged local gangster, Hina Sheikh—referred to by many vendors as a “lady don” has reportedly been harassing small vendors and demanding protection money to let them operate.
For the past several days, Sheikh and her associates, identified as Shoaib Jamadar and Shoaib Patel, have allegedly threatened and extorted multiple vendors, forcing them to pay anywhere between ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 on multiple occasions. One vendor claims to have paid a total of ₹10,000 before finally being forced to shut down his stall.
Things escalated recently when, according to the victim, Hina Sheikh violently threw his goods onto the road and physically assaulted his minor brother after he pleaded inability to pay more. An eyewitness captured a video of the incident in which Sheikh is seen confronting the vendors and allegedly dismissing concerns by saying, “Nothing will happen.”
The vendor, who had earlier lodged a complaint at Pune’s Deccan Police Station, claimed that when he returned to report the latest assault and seek help, the police dismissed him rudely and refused to register any fresh complaint. This alleged police apathy has raised serious concerns among street vendors and local citizens, who fear a worsening law-and-order situation if such threats continue unchecked.
This case adds to the ongoing dialogue around the safety of informal workers in urban India and the responsiveness of local law enforcement to the vulnerable.
