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Gov. Gen. India Lord William Bentinck .historyhome.co.uk |
Merciless Thugges;dacoits and Killers /frontline.thehindu.com
Merciless Thugges, Killers in the jungles of India hisday.app
The Thugs were a clandestine group of hereditary assassins in India who operated as ruthless killers for centuries. Bound by a religious oath to the goddess Kali, they specialized in deceiving travelers, strangling them with a cloth (often their pugree or handkerchief), and looting their belongings. Unlike ordinary thieves, Thugs followed strict rituals and traveled in gangs, posing as merchants or pilgrims. The British administration saw the Thuggee menace as a major law-and-order problem that demanded immediate attention. To the british of early period confronting such a band of bandits in the midst of thick jungles of India was more a bewildering problem than a discomforting one.
Lord William Bentinck’s Initiatives (1828-1835)
Lord William Bentinck, the British Governor-General of India from 1828 to 1835, took decisive steps to eradicate the Thuggee menace, which had plagued travelers and local populations for centuries. While earlier efforts to curb Thuggee were sporadic, Bentinck approached the issue with systematic reforms and dedicated resources to suppressing this criminal network.
Appointment of Captain William Henry Sleeman
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| Lord William Bentinck and Col.William Sleeman -www.boloji.com |
Above imahe: Early colonial India, Jungle Thug hunters. Both lord William Bentinck (1774 - 1839) (left) and Col.William Sleeman - (1788 - 1856) were responsible for completely eradicating the Thuggee menace who finally discovered the secret codes. Sleeman extensively talked to the Thugs, to go deep down and ''document their modus operandi and the rituals associated with their deities, Bhawani and Kali, patrons of their “cults.”..................
Bentinck’s most significant action was appointing Captain William Henry Sleeman to lead the campaign against the Thugs. In 1835, the British established the Thuggee and Dacoity Department, with Sleeman as its superintendent. This marked the beginning of organized and relentless operations to dismantle the Thuggee network. Sleeman, a former soldier turned administrator, meticulously documented the Thugs' activities, tracked their movements, and developed strategies to counter their influence.
Strategic Approach to Suppression
The campaign involved a multi-pronged approach that relied on intelligence gathering, public awareness, and breaking the Thugs’ internal code of loyalty. Travelers were warned about the Thuggee threat at every police station, and information on Thug tactics was widely disseminated. Sleeman implemented a “King’s Evidence Programme” that encouraged captured Thugs to turn informants. Those who cooperated were given protection and incentives, providing critical information that led to further arrests and weakening of the gangs' solidarity.
Captures and Trials
Between 1831 and 1837, Sleeman’s efforts led to the capture of 3,266 Thugs. Out of these, 412 were hanged, 483 provided evidence for the state, and the remainder were either transported or imprisoned for life. A special prison for Thugs was established in Jabalpur, where many spent the rest of their lives.
Legacy and Impact
Bentinck and Sleeman’s campaign effectively crushed the Thuggee fraternity. By the late 1830s, the Thuggee system had been virtually eradicated, and Bentinck’s legacy as a reformer remains tied to this critical victory over one of India’s most savage criminal threats.
https://www.navrangindia.in/2015/08/indian-phantom-sleeman-and-govgeneral.html
