ETV Bharat / state

Sheopur bandit turns 'farmer' - story of Ramesh Sikarwar

In Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district, a Chambal bandit Ramesh Singh Sikarwar turned into a farmer. Ramesh Sikarwar and his gang committed 75 murders and earned the title of a dacoit. Later, the gang surrendered in 1984 and after spending 12 years in jail, they now live a quiet life in MP's Lohrani village and practice farming in his ancestor's land.

Sheopur bandit turns 'farmer' - story of Ramesh Sikarwar

Chambal bandit turns 'farmer' - story of Ramesh Sikarwar

By

Published : Oct 30, 2019, 8:00 PM IST

|

Updated : Oct 30, 2019, 10:52 PM IST

Sheopur (Madhya Pradesh): Once a feared dacoit, accused of committing a number heinous crimes - around 75 murders and many kidnappings -Ramesh Singh Sikarwar is now a farmer living a simple life.

Now a frail old soft-spoken man in his 70's, it is difficult to imagine Singh as a dacoit operating in the ravines of Chambal for years.

Sheopur bandit turns 'farmer' - story of Ramesh Sikarwar

The septuagenarian took up arms around the 1970s when he was in the 7th standard. Over a land dispute with his uncles, they falsely accused Sikarwar on the charges of stealing and got him arrested.

He said, "I bribed the police with Rs 400 and they released me. I went to Sheopur's Duvera village to take revenge from my uncles. I formed a gang and murdered one."

Ramesh Sikarwar and his gang absconded for more than a year, committed 75 murders and earned the title of a dacoit.

What made his surrender arms?

After spending years in the midst of the criminal muddle, Singh wanted to break away from the secluded lifestyle and made demands from the government.

After former CM Arjun Singh promised to their demands of getting Thirty acres of land, jobs for his children and license revolvers, Ramesh Singh Sikarwar and his gang surrendered in 1984. After spending 12 years in jail, they now live a quiet life in Madhya Pradesh's Lohrani village and practice farming in his ancestor's land.

Ramesh has constructed two huts on the farm and works as a farmer in his field. He carries a pistol with him for his self-defence.

Now, the residents of Lohrani village discuss their problems with Sikarwar and he is spending the rest of his life helping villagers of Sheopur.

Also Read: Wrong policies led to 'worsening' situation in Valley: Congress

Sheopur (Madhya Pradesh): Once a feared dacoit, accused of committing a number heinous crimes - around 75 murders and many kidnappings -Ramesh Singh Sikarwar is now a farmer living a simple life.

Now a frail old soft-spoken man in his 70's, it is difficult to imagine Singh as a dacoit operating in the ravines of Chambal for years.

Sheopur bandit turns 'farmer' - story of Ramesh Sikarwar

The septuagenarian took up arms around the 1970s when he was in the 7th standard. Over a land dispute with his uncles, they falsely accused Sikarwar on the charges of stealing and got him arrested.

He said, "I bribed the police with Rs 400 and they released me. I went to Sheopur's Duvera village to take revenge from my uncles. I formed a gang and murdered one."

Ramesh Sikarwar and his gang absconded for more than a year, committed 75 murders and earned the title of a dacoit.

What made his surrender arms?

After spending years in the midst of the criminal muddle, Singh wanted to break away from the secluded lifestyle and made demands from the government.

After former CM Arjun Singh promised to their demands of getting Thirty acres of land, jobs for his children and license revolvers, Ramesh Singh Sikarwar and his gang surrendered in 1984. After spending 12 years in jail, they now live a quiet life in Madhya Pradesh's Lohrani village and practice farming in his ancestor's land.

Ramesh has constructed two huts on the farm and works as a farmer in his field. He carries a pistol with him for his self-defence.

Now, the residents of Lohrani village discuss their problems with Sikarwar and he is spending the rest of his life helping villagers of Sheopur.

Also Read: Wrong policies led to 'worsening' situation in Valley: Congress

Sheopur , Madhyapradesh- once a prominent dacoit turned into a regular farmer. Ramesh Singh Sikarwar whose name give Goosebumps to the people is now helping poor tribal people.

Seopur,

a person who was a top dacoit, who has killed 75 people and was a synonym of fear. After surrendering himself Ramesh Singh Sikarwar lives with poor tribal people and does farming leading a simple lifestyle people who were once fearful enough to meet him, now spend their time with him as well as share problems they face Read this exclusive report.

A person whose name was frightful enough to bring Goosebumps former dasyu member Ramesh Singh Sikarwar was born in 1950 in Lohrani village of sheopur district. His father late Pritam Singh Sikarwar and his uncles had a fight in which his uncles United against his father and came to the decision of dismissing him from family property and turning him homeless. when Ramesh was studying in class seventh at that time his sister's marriage was fixed and there was acute requirement of money and ghee. when his uncles refused to help him , Ramesh took a stand and demanded to get his piece of land and cattles upon which his uncles gave him a bullock cart full of 20 cans of ghee and accused him of stealing and informed the police. As Ramesh stated he bribed the police by giving him 400 rupees and got released. After his sister's marriage ceremony got over he ran away to take revenge from his uncles. He formed a gang, first murder done by them was of a person named gulab dhakad who was a resident of Duvera village of sheopur district, after which he targeted to murder his uncles, but when Ramesh was about to shoot his uncles near Hanuman Ji's Temple , the priest of the temple pleaded to not shoot them. After accepting priest's request to not kill his uncles, Ramesh and his gang kept absconding during 1975 to 27-10-1984 and commited 75 murders. After former CM Arjun Singh's suggestion Ramesh and gang surrendered. the government promised them to give approx 30 acres of land , job to their children and licensed revolvers alongside many other promises but they only got approx nine acres of land ,one licence revolver. considering the normal life better than the dacoit life they completed their 12 years of punishment behind the bar and return to the normal life. Ramesh Singh states that people's love towards him is the reason due to which no one give any statement against him and he was proven not guilty of any of the allegations against him.

Former dasyu member Ramesh Singh Sikarwar now resides in the lohrani village and practices farming in his ancestor's land. Alongside many other pulses Arhar and rice grow in his farmland.Residents of the village now look up to Ramesh with respect and share their problems with him. Ramesh has constructed two huts in the farm and acts as caretaker to his field, he owns one horse ,bike and Jeep which helps him to transport his goods from farm to the market.Ramesh who used to carry pistols to scare others now only keeps one pistol for his self defence. On his exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat former dasyu member Ramesh Singh Sikarwar expressed his opinion and stated that his present life is better than the former one and also said that if police and administration does their duty rightfully not a single person will turn into dacoit , he stated that he himself turned into a dacoit to do justice .

when Ramesh and his gang was absconding, people use to get frightened by their name but now they pay respect to him . Ramesh Singh Sikarwar is always up to helping people and considered humanity as his first religion. Residents of lohrani village, the tribals sit next to him and share their problems with him. People of the village states that they are not afraid of Ramesh Singh Sikarwar he is a good human being, very helpful and due to him know dacoit or thief dares to enter the village.

On Wednesday, October 30, 2019, Vikas Kaushik <vikas.kaushik@etvbharat.com> wrote:

श्योपुर (MP) - 75 हत्याओं के बाद चम्बल का कुख्यात डकैत बना किसान। कभी दहशत का पर्याय रहा रमेश सिंह सिकरवार गरीबों, आदिवासियों को दिला रहा है परेशानियों से निजात।

श्योपुर- कभी डकैत बनकर 75 लोगों की हत्याएं कर चुके और चंबल इलाके में दहशत का नाम रहे पूर्व दस्यू रमेश सिंह सिकरवार आत्मसमर्पण के बाद अब गरीब आदिवासियों के बीच रहकर अपनी खेती बाडी करके सादगी भरा जीवन जी रहे है। यही वजह है कि कभी उनके नाम से ही कांपने वाले लोग अब उनके पास न सिर्फ उठते- बैठते है बल्कि अपनी परेशानियों को भी उनके पास लेकर पहुंचते है...देखिए Exslusive रिपोर्ट...

कभी चंबल में दहशत का नाम रहे पूर्व दस्यु रमेश सिंह सिकरवार का जन्म सन 1950 को श्योपुर जिले के लहरोनी गांव में हुआ था, पिता स्व.पीतम सिंह सिकरवार और चाचाओं में विवाद के बाद चाचाओं ने एकराय होकर उनके पिता को जमीन-जायदाद से बेदखल कर घर से निकाल दिया। डकैत रमेश सिंह सिकरवार जब 7 वी क्लास में पढ़ते थे तब उनकी बहन की शादी के लिए कुछ रुपए और घी की जरुरत पड़ी। चाचाओं के मना करने पर रमेश ने अपने हिस्से की जमीन, मवेशियों के बंटवारे पर अडे। इस पर चाचाओं ने रमेश को बैलगाडी देकर घी के 20 टीन रखवाया और पुलिस को सूचना देकर रमेश को चोरी के इल्जाम में पकडवा दिया। दस्यू रमेश की मानें तो वह पुलिस को 400 रुपए रिश्वत देकर वहां से निकले। बहन की शादी होते ही चाचाओं से बदला लेने के लिए फरार हो गए। इसके बाद उन्होंने पहला मर्डर गुलाब धाकड़ निवासी दुवेरा जिला श्योपुर का किया और अपने चाचाओं की हत्या करने के लिए रमेश की गैंग ने उन्हे पकड़ा। हुनमान मंदिर के पास अपने चाचाओं को जब रमेश गोली मारने वाले थे तभी मंदिर के पुजारी ने झोली फैलाकर दान में तीनों की जान बख्शने की गुहार की। चाचाओं की जान बख्शने के बाद रमेश के गैंग ने 1975 से 27-10-1984 तक फरारी काटी और 75 हत्याएं की. बाद में पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री अर्जुन सिंह के कहने पर आत्मसमर्पण किया। सरकार ने रमेश गैंग को 30-30 बीघा जमीन, बच्चों की नौकरी, बंदूकों के लाइसेंस सहित अन्य कई वादे किए। लेकिन उन्हे मिला सिर्फ 09-09 बीघा जमीन, एक-एक बंदूकों के लाइसेंस मिले। फिर भी उस जिंदगी से अब की जिंदगी को बेहतर मानकर वह 12 साल की सजा पूरी करके सामान्य जिंदगी जीने लगे। रमेश सिंह की मानें तो जनता और गरीवों के बीच रहे उनके प्रेम की वजह से किसी ने भी उनके खिलाफ गवाही नहीं दी और वह सभी आरोपों में बरी हो गए। अब वह एक भी अपराध में दोषी साबित नहीं हुए। ....

पूर्व दस्यू रमेश सिंह सिकरवार अब जिले के लहरोनी गांव में अपनी पुस्तेनी जमीन पर खेती बाडी कर रहे है, उनके खेतों में अरहर, धान, सहित अन्य फसलें लहलहा रही है। जिनकी देखरेख पूर्व दस्यू रमेश सिकरवार खुद ही करते है और इलाके के लोग भी उन्हे सम्मान की नजर से देखते है। उन्हे सम्मान देने के अलावा इलाके के आदिवासी अपनी समस्याएं लेकर भी उन्ही के पास पहुंचते है। रमेश सिंह ने अपने खेतों पर रहने के लिए दो झोपडियां बना रखी है, एक घोडी, बाइक और जीप खेतों और बाजार तक आने-जाने के लिए उन्होंने खरीद रखा है, कभी दहशतगर्दी के लिए बंदूक रखने वाले रमेश अब खुद की आत्मरक्षा के लिए बंदूक रखते है। etv bharat से हुई खास चर्चा में पूर्व दस्यू रमेश सिंह सिकरवार ने अपने जीवन के कई अहम बातों के वारे में बताते हुए पहले की जिंदगी से अब की जिंदगी को बेहतर बताया और कहा कि अगर प्रशासन और पुलिस ठीक तरीके से काम करे तो किसी को बागी(डकैत) बनने की जरुरत ही नहीं होगी उन्होंने बंदूक न्याय के लिए उठाई थी। .....

वीओ-3
जब रमेश सिंह सिकरवार फरारी काट रहे थे, तब उनके नाम से ही लोग डरते थे। लेकिन अब लोग उन्हे आदर और सम्मान की नजर से देखते है। रमेंश सिंह लोगों की सहायता करने में तत्पर रहते है और मानवता की सेवा को ही अपना पहला धर्म मानेते है। लहरोनी इलाके के आदिवासी समाज के लोग उन्हे अपने पास बिठाते है और अपनी समस्याऐ बताते है। लहरोनी इलाके के लोगों की मानें तो रमेंश सिंह सिकरवार से उन्हे बिल्कुल भी डर नहीं लगता और वह अच्छे इंसान है। उनकी वजह से इलाके में बदमाश और डकैतों का आतंक नहीं रहता....

--

Jinendra Parakh

BA.LLB

Hidaytullah National Law University

Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh

Last Updated : Oct 30, 2019, 10:52 PM IST

For All Latest Updates

TAGGED:

Sheopur's Duvera village

committed 75 murders

Copyright © 2025 Ushodaya Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., All Rights Reserved.