phoolaN devi
FULAN DEVI POPULARLY KNOWN AS THE BANDIT QUEEN WAS
AN INDIAN DACOIT, WAS AN INDIAN DACOIT WHO BECAME A
POLITICIAN, SERVING AS A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT UNTIL
HER ASSASSINATION. SHE WAS A WOMEN OF THE MALLAH
SUBCASTE WHO GREW UP IN POVERTY IN A VILLAGE IN THE
STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH, WHERE HER FAMILY WAS ON THE
LOSING SIDE OF A DISPUTE WHICH CAUSED THEM MANY
PROBLEMS. AFTER HER MARRIAGE OFF AT THE AGE OF 11
AND BEING SEXUALLY ABUSED BY THE VARIOUS PEOPLE SHE
JOINED DACOITS. WHEN SHE PUNISHED HER RAPISTS AND
EVADED CAPTURE BY THE AUTHORITIES, SHE BECAME
HEROINE TO THE OTHER CASTES WHO SAW HER AS A
ROBBIN HOD FIGURE. PHOOLAN DEVI WAS CHARGED IN
ABSENTIA FOR THE 1981 BEHMAI MASSACRE, IN 20 THAKUR
MEN WERE EXECUTED ALLEGEDLY ON HER COMMAND.
Early life
PHOOLAN DEVI WAS BORN ON 10 AUGUST 1963, IN THE
VILLAGE OF GORHA KA PURWA IN JALAUN DISTRICT, UTTAR
PRADESH, INDIA. HER FAMILY WAS POOR AND FROM THE
MALLAH SUBCASTE WHICH LIES TOWARDS THE BOTTOM
OF THE HINDU CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA, WITH MALLAHS
BEING SHUDRAS WHO TRADITIONALY WORKS AS A
FISHERMEN. AT THE AGE OF 10 PHOOLAN DEVI DECIDED
TO PROTEST AGAINST THE INJUSTICE. WITH HER OLDER
SISTER [Link] PARENTS DECIDED TO ARRANGE
MARRIAGE FOR HER. SHE WAS MARRIED TO A MAN
CALLED PUTTILAL WHO OFFERED 100 RUPEES A COW AND
A [Link] WAS AGREED THE FULAN DEVI WOULS START
LIVING WITH HIM AFTER 3 YEARS, BUT PUTTILAL CAME
BACK WITHIN 3 MONTHS AND TOOK HER AWAY. HE WAS 3
TIMES HER AGE; SHE REFUSED HIS SEXUAL ADVANCES
AND FELL SICK. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed
under CC BY-SA
Bandit queen
IN JULY 1979, A GANG OF BANDITS LED BY BABU GUJJAR KIDNAPPED PHOOLAN
DEVI FROM HER FAMILY'S HOME, FOR REASONS SHE EXPLAINED IN MULTIPLE
WAYS.[C] GUJJAR TOOK HER AS HIS PROPERTY AND RAPED HER REPEATEDLY.
VIKRAM MALLAH, THE SECOND IN COMMAND, BECAME FOND OF PHOOLAN DEVI
AND OBJECTED TO HER MISTREATMENT, SO HE KILLED GUJJAR AND BECAME
LEADER OF THE GANG.[10] HE TRAINED PHOOLAN DEVI TO USE A RIFLE AND THE
TWO FELL IN LOVE. OVER THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE GROUP ROBBED VEHICLES
AND LOOTED HIGHER CASTE VILLAGES, SOMETIMES DISGUISING THEMSELVES
USING STOLEN POLICE UNIFORMS.[4]: 247 [18] THE GANG LIVED IN THE RAVINES,
CONSTANTLY MOVING BETWEEN PLACES SUCH AS DEVARIYA, KANPUR AND ORAI.
THEY LOCATED PUTTILAL AND PUNISHED HIM VIOLENTLY. AS NEWS OF PHOOLAN
DEVI'S EXPLOITS SPREAD, SHE BECAME POPULAR WITH THE LOWER CASTES, WHO
CALLED HER DASYU SUNDARI (BEAUTIFUL BANDIT) AND CELEBRATED HER AS A
ROBIN HOOD FIGURE, WHO ROBBED FROM THE RICH TO GIVE TO THE POOR.[12]
[19][20][21] SHE WAS SEEN AS AN INCARNATION OF THE HINDU GODDESS DURGA
AND A DOLL WAS PRODUCED OF HER IN POLICE UNIFORM WEARING A
BANDOLEER.
Behmai massacre
PHOOLAN DEVI MANAGED TO ESCAPE AND MET MAN SINGH, A BANDIT WITH WHOM SHE FORMED A
NEW GANG THEY BECAME LOVERS, LIVING ON WILD BERRIES AND PRODUCE STOLEN FROM
CULTIVATED FIELDS. SHE RETURNED TO BEHMAI WITH HER GANG ON 14 FEBRUARY 1981; SPEAKING
THROUGH A LOUDHAILER, SHE DEMANDED THAT THE VILLAGERS HAND OVER SRI RAM SINGH AND
HIS BROTHER, THEN THE BANDITS WENT FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE LOOTING VALUABLES. WHEN THE
TWO MEN COULD NOT BE FOUND, TWENTY-TWO THAKUR MEN WERE LINED UP AT THE YAMUNA
RIVER AND SHOT FROM BEHIND; TWENTY DIED AND TWO SURVIVED. THE BEHMAI MASSACRE LED
THAKUR FARMERS TO PRESSURE PRIME MINISTER INDIRA GANDHI TO IMPOSE THE RULE OF LAW.
WHEN PHOOLAN DEVI WAS ARRESTED IN 1983, SHE CLAIMED THAT SHE HAD NOT BEEN PRESENT
AT THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING. THIS WAS CORROBORATED BY THE EVIDENCE OF THE TWO MEN
WHO SURVIVED, WHO STATED THAT THEY HAD NOT SEEN HER AND THAT A MAN CALLED RAM
AVTAR WAS GIVING ORDERS. BY OTHER ACCOUNTS, SUCH AS THAT OF JOURNALIST KHUSHWANT
SINGH, IT WAS PHOOLAN DEVI WHO PUT THE MEN TO DEATH. SHE WAS CELEBRATED AMONG
DALITS (PEOPLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CASTE SYSTEM) FOR FIGHTING BACK AGAINST HER ABUSE
BY MEN OF A HIGHER CASTE AND WHEN SHE ELUDED CAPTURE BY THE AUTHORITIES HER FAME
GREW.[24] THE KILLINGS PROMPTED THE RESIGNATION OF V. P. SINGH, THE CHIEF MINISTER OF
UTTAR PRADESH.[25] IT WAS LATER CLARIFIED THAT THE DEAD MEN WERE SEVENTEEN THAKURS,
ONE MUSLIM, ONE DALIT AND ONE MEMBER OF OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES. PHOOLAN DEVI WAS
CHARGED IN ABSENTIA WITH 48 CRIMES, WHICH INCLUDED KIDNAPPING, LOOTING AND MURDER.
[2]: XIII [26]
surrender
AFTER THE MASSACRE, PHOOLAN DEVI REMAINED ON THE RUN AND WAS NEARLY
CAUGHT BY THE POLICE ON 31 MARCH 1981. HER MOTHER WAS HELD FOR FIVE
MONTHS IN KALPI PRISON TO PRESSURE PHOOLAN DEVI TO GIVE HERSELF UP.[8] IN
1983, PHOOLAN DEVI SURRENDERED TO THE AUTHORITIES AFTER LONG NEGOTIATIONS
LED BY RAJENDRA CHATURVEDI, A POLICE OFFICER FROM BHIND WHO GAINED THE
TRUST OF LOCAL DACOITS AFTER ARRESTING MALKHAN SINGH RAJPOOT. DRESSED IN A
POLICE UNIFORM AND WEARING A RED BANDANNA ON HER HEAD, SHE BOWED BEFORE
REPRESENTATIONS OF THE GODDESS DURGA AND MAHATMA GANDHI, THEN
PROSTRATED HERSELF IN FRONT OF ARJUN SINGH, THE CHIEF MINISTER OF MADHYA
PRADESH, WITH APPROXIMATELY 8,000 PEOPLE WATCHING. PHOOLAN DEVI HAD SET
CONDITIONS REGARDING HER SURRENDER, WHICH INCLUDED: NO DEATH PENALTY FOR
ANYONE FROM HER GANG; A MAXIMUM CUSTODIAL SENTENCE OF EIGHT YEARS; NO
USE OF HANDCUFFS; BEING IMPRISONED AS A GROUP; BEING IMPRISONED IN MADHYA
PRADESH AND NOT UTTAR PRADESH; HER FAMILY BEING GIVEN LAND WITH SPACE FOR
HER GOAT AND COW; AND HER BROTHER GETTING A GOVERNMENT JOB. SHE AND
SEVEN MEN, INCLUDING MAN SINGH, SURRENDERED. MALA SEN RECORDS THAT THE
MALE JOURNALISTS GATHERED IN BHIND TO WATCH HER SURRENDER WERE
UNIMPRESSED WITH HER PLAIN APPEARANCE.
Political career
CHARGES AGAINST PHOOLAN DEVI WERE DROPPED IN 1994 BY ORDER OF MULAYAM SINGH
YADAV, THE LEADER OF THE SAMAJWADI PARTY AND CHIEF MINISTER OF UTTAR PRADESH.[30]
AFTER HER RELEASE FROM PRISON, SHE JOINED THE SAMAJWADI PARTY AND IN THE 1996
GENERAL ELECTION TOOK A SEAT IN THE INDIAN LOWER LEGISLATIVE BODY, THE LOK SABHA,
AS THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (MP) FOR MIRZAPUR IN UTTAR PRADESH.[31] SHE WON WITH
A MARGIN OF 37,000 AND HAD MORE THAN 300,000 VOTES IN TOTAL. SHE WAS NOT THE ONLY
ILLITERATE MP, JOINING OTHERS SUCH AS BHAGWATI DEVI AND SHOBHAWATI DEVI.[8]
PHOOLAN DEVI CAMPAIGNED WITH LIMITED SUCCESS FOR THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND TO
PROVIDE BETTER AMENITIES FOR THE POOR. SHE TOLD AUTHOR ROY MOXHAM "I WANT TO
BRING HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, ELECTRICITY AND CLEAN WATER TO THE POOR IN THE VILLAGES.
TO STOP CHILD MARRIAGE AND TO IMPROVE LIFE FOR WOMEN."[8] MALLAH PEOPLE WERE
HAPPY TO HAVE SOMEONE OF THEIR CASTE REPRESENTING THEM IN PARLIAMENT FOR THE
FIRST TIME AND SHE WAS GENERALLY POPULAR AMONG OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES.
PHOOLAN DEVI MARRIED UMED SINGH IN 1994; THEY APPEARED TOGETHER IN A FILM, CALLED
SHOLAY AUR CHINGARI (BLAZING FIRES AND SPARKS). TOGETHER WITH HER NEW HUSBAND,
SHE BECAME A BUDDHIST, AIMING TO EVADE THE HINDU CASTE SYSTEM.[4]: 251 ACCORDING
TO MOXHAM, SHE LATER RENOUNCED BUDDHISM.
assassination
AT ON 25 JULY 2001, PHOOLAN DEVI WAS SHOT DEAD BY THREE UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS OUTSIDE
HER HOUSE AT 44 ASHOKA ROAD IN NEW DELHI.[31] SHE WAS SHOT NINE TIMES AND HER
BODYGUARD WAS HIT TWICE; HE RETURNED FIRE AS THE ATTACKERS ESCAPED BY CAR. SHE WAS
RUSHED TO LOHIA HOSPITAL AND WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD ON ARRIVAL. SHE WAS AGED 37 WHEN
SHE DIED AND SERVING AS AN MP. ALL BUSINESS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT WAS
ADJOURNED FOR TWO DAYS AND THE FUNERAL TOOK PLACE IN MIRZAPUR.[40] UMED SINGH
COMMENTED "NO ONE LIKES IT WHEN SOMEONE, ESPECIALLY A WOMAN, FROM THE LOWER
CLASSES RISES AND MAKES A NAME FOR HERSELF" AND HER LAWYER KAMINI JAISWAL STATED
"THIS MURDER IS THE RESULT OF CASTE CONFLICT. THE CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST HER WAS STILL
OPEN AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH. DAYS AFTER THE MURDER, SHER SINGH RANA SURRENDERED
TO POLICE IN DEHRA DUN AND CLAIMED HE HAD ASSASSINATED PHOOLAN DEVI IN REVENGE FOR
THE BEHMAI MASSACRE; HE AT FIRST STRUGGLED TO CONVINCE POLICE THAT HE WAS PRESENT AT
THE SCENE OF THE CRIME.[43][44] HE ESCAPED FROM TIHAR JAIL IN 2004 AND WAS RECAPTURED
TWO YEARS LATER.[45] IN AUGUST 2014, RANA RECEIVED A LIFE SENTENCE FOR MURDER, WITH
TEN CO-DEFENDANTS BEING [Link] YEARS LATER, HE APPEALED HIS SENTENCE TO THE
DELHI HIGH COURT AND WAS SET FREE BY JUSTICE GITA MITTAL ON A PERSONAL BOND OF ₹50,000
(EQUIVALENT TO ₹72,000 OR £750 IN 2023) AND TWO SURETIES, EACH OF THE SAME AMOUNT. HE
WAS REQUIRED TO NOT INTERACT WITH PHOOLAN DEVI'S FAMILY AND TO REPORT TO THE POLICE
EVERY SIX MONTHS, WHILST ALSO INFORMING THEM WHERE HE STAYED AND WHAT MOBILE
TELEPHONE NUMBER HE WAS USING.
thank you
WE THE MEMBERS FROM ROLL NUMBER 29 TO 32
WOULD LIKE TO THANKS MISS BINOVA FOR GIVING
SUCH ASTONISHING PROJECT. WHICH HELPED AS OF
US KNOWING ABOUT DIFFERENT WOMENS AROUND
WHO HAS COMMIT A LOT FOR THE SOCIETY.
MEMBERS
[Link] BHUJEL
[Link] RAI
[Link] TIWARI
[Link] THAPA