Former dacoits, who laid down arms, now take up a green cause

Former dacoits, whose hideouts were forests where they also set up many houses, have now taken up a noble cause.

These self confessed ‘baghis’, who laid down their arms years back, will now converge in Jaipur to give a lesson on saving environment and the forests.

Seema Parihar, Gabbar Singh, Mohar Singh, Saru Singh, Malkhan Singh, Renu Yadav and Sarla Yadav, who once made headlines for their gunshots will gather in the pink city in mid-July to take part in a 'mahakumbh' of former dacoits and their families.

The 'mahakumbh' will be named 'Pehle basaya bihad - Ab bachayainge bihad' (Once we lived in forests - Now we will save forests).These dacoits, who had given a slip to the police many times in the 1970s and 1980s in the border areas of MP, Rajasthan and UP, now lead a normal life.

“I went to Muraina, Bhind, Jhansi, Auraiya and other places in MP, UP and some places in Rajasthan to find these dacoits who once ruled the ravines of Chambal," Vishnu Lamba, an environment activist, told Times of India. "I met at least 22 dacoits till date and seven of them have already given their consent to take part in the programme. They include Seema Parihar, Malkhan Singh and Mohar Singh," Lamba of Shree Kalpatru Sansthan added.

He told the news daily that the dacoits who will take part in the 'mahakumbh' are those who took up arms for a 'cause' and not for their own benefits. The programme is being organized with an aim to spread environmental awareness. Many of these dacoits have become social workers after they surrendered to the police. Some of them have also joined politics.

The dacoits will also narrate their own stories along with spreading the message of environment conservation.

(Image: Indiatimes)