Veerappan had expressed his wish to surrender: ex-dacoit

Says brigand had wanted all facilities given to Chambal dacoits for his gang
Reformed Chambal dacoit Pancham Singh Chauhan at a press conference in Mysuru on Tuesday
Reformed Chambal dacoit Pancham Singh Chauhan at a press conference in Mysuru on Tuesday

MYSURU: Pancham Singh (96), a reformed Chambal valley dacoit, said he had tried to make forest brigand Veerappan surrender. He claimed on Tuesday that he had met Veerappan at a politician’s house, but did not disclose his name.“Veerappan who gave a patient hearing told me that the facilities extended to Chambal dacoits should also be extended to him and his gang. He also had expressed his willingness to surrender provided his conditions were met,” Singh said.

“Although I appraised the government of my talks with Veerappan, there was no positive response,” he said. Singh, who had murdered over 100 people, is on a mission to preach humanity and non-violence.
Associated with Brahma Kumaris now, he has been sharing his unravelled anecdotes, his tragedies and brutalities with guns. However, Singh said he has seen God through humanity after reformation and walking out of jail. He said hatred, ego and greed have contributed to deterioration of values. He felt that there is not much scope for reformation in jails.

“Recently arrested godman Ram Rahim is found praying in jail. All facilities are available in prisons if one has money. But only introspection and enlightenment through spirituality can bring peace,” he said.
Singh, who headed a 556-member gang of dacoits in the Chambal valley spread across 25 districts in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, has no regrets.

He said they had a strong conviction to loot the rich and serve the poor. They had started a school and women’s protection was their priority. However, after surrendering through Jayaprakash Narain, he met families of the victims and apologised for his barbaric act of looting and killing, he said.
He said he was just 14, living with his newly-wed wife and parents at his village in Madhya Pradesh, when he was beaten up by a rival group during panchayat elections.  

“Despite pleas from my parents, they beat me up. This made me go with 12 other friends join a gang. We killed all the six in retaliation,” he said.After coming out of jail, Singh refused to join politics and turned down the ticket offered by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh to contest polls.

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