Synopsis
Story in Brief Set in turbulent Central India in the early 19th century, the story revolves around an Englishman in the employ of the East India Company, his French wife from a noble Émigré family, businessmen. Policemen and a sect of Divine Murderers. The Englishman sets out to exterminate the sect, using the first ever modern scientific methods of Criminal Investigation and detection. This results in the arrest of 3,689 killers, 466 of whom are hanged and 2497 imprisoned for life. Based on Historical facts, the story takes you through early 19th century customs and practices in England, France and India. Strangulations, Famine, Epidemics, Myths, Folklore , Superstitions gel together in the story to unfold the mystique of India. The Thug Menace More than a hundred Thug gangs prowled India’s highways and annually killed about 40,000 travellers in the early 19th century. The Thugs were held together by a perversion of religion that made killing a part of worship. The gangs were knit together by a strange and bizarre regimen of life, that destroyed their victims with a combination of guile and cruelty almost unparalleled in the history of crime anywhere in the world. The Thugs had been plying their trade undetected for nearly 500 years. Major General Sir William Henry Sleeman was a man of zeal and spirit far above the ordinary and his extraordinary tenacity of purpose was in the final analysis the reason why Thuggee could be eliminated. The legal procedures of the time also helped a lot as they permitted quick and effective trials and deterrent punishment to thugs K.F.Rustomji DG BSF (One of independent India's most respectable policeman) – In the centenary issue of the Indian Police Journal –Thugs, Pindaris and Dacoits
About the Author
Rajesh Rampal is a Chartered Accountant. He has worked with premier Corporate Sector Companies in India and dealt with ICICI, SBI, IDBI, IFC (W) and EADB. He has also worked during the project phase in India of two Fortune 500 companies viz. GKN plc and Degussa AG. He was Manager Corporate Finance-I in Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited and also looked over the financial aspects in Technology Transfer Engineering and R & D Divisions of this company. He spent two years in Uganda, East Africa working with Cable Corporation Ltd., set up with Japanese Collaboration- Hashimoto. He also worked with India's premier Economic Think Tank – Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, where he rubbed shoulders with many Economists of International repute. He has delved in Insurance, Stock Markets and Corporate Sector Training. He has lectured and made presentations on 'Organised Crime in the Garb of religion in 19th century India- Thuggee' in the Intelligence Bureau, National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Sciences, India International Centre and Royal Military Police HQ in Southwick Park, Hampshire, U.K. He has also made presentations on 'The Siege and Assault of Delhi 1857- A Case Study for any Army that wishes to punch above its weight' in Gurkha Museum, Winchester, Royal Armed Medical Corps Museum and the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry Museum in Bodmin. He also made the same presentation to the International Guild of Battlefield Guides in London in November 2010. Rajesh has also taken several British Army officers around the sites of Delhi 1857. Some prominent names are General Sir Richard Shirreff, Deputy Supreme Commander Allied Powers, Europe, General Sir Christopher Wallace former Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies, Colonel Dr John Richardson of the Royal Armed Medical Corps, Colonel Gerald Napier of the Royal Engineers and author of 'Sapper VC's' and 'Follow the Sapper.' Former BBC producers Hugh Purcell and Margaret Percy have been with Rajesh several times on Delhi 1857 sites. Former BBC producer Philip Geddes and his team made a Documentary 'The Devils Wind' on 1857 and Rajesh took them around for the shoot. He was interviewed by General Sir Richard Shirreff on battle tactics in the Documentary. Rajesh's only claim to being a Historian is being the next door neighbour of the famous Indian Historian Dr Bipin Chandra for nearly a decade who was his father's colleague in the Delhi University.
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