Phoolan Devi(1963-2001)
- Actress
Phoolan Devi's parents belonged to the Mallah caste, the poorest caste in India. At the age of eleven she was married to a 40-year-old man from the neighboring village, a member of the same caste. But she ran away from this relationship and stayed in the house of her wealthier uncle Gurudayal. But she was treated badly there too. The intrigues were carried out into the village. Devi's resistance, even against advances from men, only further victimized her. It was during this time that she made her first acquaintance with the police when her uncle's house was raided. Her cousin accused her of being an accomplice of the bandits. Based on this statement, which was supported by the village head, Phoolan Devi was convicted. In prison she was raped by police officers, but the crime was not prosecuted. Later Devi moved to another village. During this time she had her first contacts with bandits and is said to have made the acquaintance of the gang leader Vikram Mallah, her later companion. As an outcast woman in India's caste society, she was stigmatized and lacked any reputation. She left the village community and became a member of the gang in the Chambal Valley.
The bandits there were already traditional and gained a reputation like Robin Hood. Recognition and support from the locals was important to their survival. The rich people's loot was passed on to the poor people. Phoolan Devi teamed up with Vikram Mallah to form the infamous Phoolan Mallah gang. As a leader, she found herself, for the first time, in a position of respect towards men - even those from higher castes. But not all male members accepted them, so some broke out of the gang community. During a gang war triggered by a robbery, she was captured by the Thakur brothers, two former members of her own gang. During the attack, she committed the sacrilege that a lower-caste gang had attacked an upper-caste gang. After she managed to escape, she built a new gang. Over time, a caste war developed and Phoolan Devi became known as a fast woman in uniform. She achieved media impact during an attack on a village in which 22 people died.
Their aim was to destroy the Thakur brothers. This act made her the most wanted bandit in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Phoolan Devi became a bandit queen who was assured of the support of the lower caste people. She herself experienced that power lies in the hands of the privileged class. Their aim was to change this distribution of power. On February 13, 1983, she publicly surrendered in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, in the presence of tens of thousands of low-caste people. The promise of eight years in prison that was made to her for her surrender was not kept. She remained in prison for a total of eleven years before being released through an act of mercy in 1994. Here, too, she felt the patriarchal social system; like-minded male companions had long been on the loose. After her release, Phoona Devi joined the socialist Samajwadi Party, which recognized Devi's influence over 70% of the population of the state of Uttar Pradesh.
She moved to the Indian House of Commons as a party representative. Devi became a mouthpiece for millions of women, for whose rights and recognition she fought. She called for women to defend themselves against men's violence and called for political action in this regard. Among other things, she took part in the UN conference on the situation of women in New York in June 2000. In revenge for the massacre in the village in which 22 men died, an assassination attempt was carried out on the women's rights activist.
Phoolan Devi died from a targeted shot in the head on July 25, 2001.
The bandits there were already traditional and gained a reputation like Robin Hood. Recognition and support from the locals was important to their survival. The rich people's loot was passed on to the poor people. Phoolan Devi teamed up with Vikram Mallah to form the infamous Phoolan Mallah gang. As a leader, she found herself, for the first time, in a position of respect towards men - even those from higher castes. But not all male members accepted them, so some broke out of the gang community. During a gang war triggered by a robbery, she was captured by the Thakur brothers, two former members of her own gang. During the attack, she committed the sacrilege that a lower-caste gang had attacked an upper-caste gang. After she managed to escape, she built a new gang. Over time, a caste war developed and Phoolan Devi became known as a fast woman in uniform. She achieved media impact during an attack on a village in which 22 people died.
Their aim was to destroy the Thakur brothers. This act made her the most wanted bandit in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Phoolan Devi became a bandit queen who was assured of the support of the lower caste people. She herself experienced that power lies in the hands of the privileged class. Their aim was to change this distribution of power. On February 13, 1983, she publicly surrendered in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, in the presence of tens of thousands of low-caste people. The promise of eight years in prison that was made to her for her surrender was not kept. She remained in prison for a total of eleven years before being released through an act of mercy in 1994. Here, too, she felt the patriarchal social system; like-minded male companions had long been on the loose. After her release, Phoona Devi joined the socialist Samajwadi Party, which recognized Devi's influence over 70% of the population of the state of Uttar Pradesh.
She moved to the Indian House of Commons as a party representative. Devi became a mouthpiece for millions of women, for whose rights and recognition she fought. She called for women to defend themselves against men's violence and called for political action in this regard. Among other things, she took part in the UN conference on the situation of women in New York in June 2000. In revenge for the massacre in the village in which 22 men died, an assassination attempt was carried out on the women's rights activist.
Phoolan Devi died from a targeted shot in the head on July 25, 2001.
