The Divine Stranglers – A Story of Thugs and Thuggee Sleeman ISBN 818549573-4

Also available in ebook format at AMAZON in Kindle Edition http://www.amazon.com/THE-DIVINE-STRANGLERS-THUGGEE-ebook/dp/B0089ISAN4

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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 , Former D. G., B.S.F.(Indian Police Journal 1962 – Thugs, Pindaris and Dacoits)

Readers Feedback on THE DIVINE STRANGLERS

It is a good read, seriously. I liked Divine Stranglers. You have thought your way into the subject so that it convinces the reader and has a period authenticity, I admire your confidence in adopting a semi-fictional approach. I like your direct no-nonsense style too. Hugh Purcell (Author and Former Managing Editor BBC) Now that I have read ‘Divine Stranglers’ my son, a Detective Superintendent in the London Metropolitan Police will get to read it. Ron Cassidy (Author and former Curator RGJ Museum) A masterful book about William Sleeman- all fascinating. Do come and visit us in Wales. Nicky and Johnny Rogers Great story line! The Divine Stranglers would make a really good movie, showing the dilemmas of the individual boy caught up in circumstances beyond his control. Keep trying and I will be there to support you at the premier. Colonel Dr John Richardson (RAMC) (Retired) A real gem –The Divine Stranglers. That you kindly inscribed it for me makes it extra special. Clive Elderton (Former British Defense Advisor, BHC ,New Delhi) I very much enjoyed reading the Divine Stranglers, which I thought very well written. Professor Stephen Slemon (University of Alberta, Canada) Fascinating! I was glued to it till I finished it. You keep the tempo fast paced and exciting. It would make a wonderful film. Only Sir Richard Attenborough can do justice to make a film on your story. Darshan Lal (Director- Monsanto Holding P. Ltd), Former Director BASF India Ltd. "The Divine Stranglers" -found it absolutely fascinating.  I particularly enjoyed the way you introduced the background of the different protagonists, including the sympathetic portrait of the thug Mahaveer.  It was a remarkable achievement to destroy the network of Thugs. 

Frank Baldwin (Chairman- Battlefields Trust, U.K.) I absolutely adore your endeavour. The story succeeds in creating the mystique and highlights each character sympathetically. J Sanyal (Author- Bengalee) Your book is a Master piece! Pavani Sitaramiah (Author-Tamil & Telugu) I found your book very interesting. S. S. Dawra IAS (Former Secretary GOI) Good luck with Thuggee film project - I agree would be a fascinating project.......Phillip Geddes (Formerly BBC and Communications Advisor EU)

About the AuthorComing soon by the same Author – Essays on 19 th Century India

Rajesh Rampal is a Chartered Accountant. He has worked with premier Corporate Sector Companies in India DCM Ltd., Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. He has also worked during the project phase in India for two Fortune 500 companies viz. GKN plc and Degussa AG setting up GKN Driveline Ltd. and Insilco Ltd. 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 an Economist.

He has delved in Insurance, Stock Markets and Corporate Sector Training. He wrote a book ‘The Divine Stranglers-The Story of Thugs and Thuggee Sleeman’ that details the life and times of 19th century world across three continents apart from the main theme.

He has lectured/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 Royal Gurkhas Museum, Winchester, Royal Armed Medical Corps Museum at Keogh Barracks, Ash Wale and the 32nd Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry 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 NATO Forces Europe, Colonel Gerald Napier of the Royal Engineers and author of ‘Sapper VC’s’ and ‘Follow the Sapper’ and Colonel Dr John Richardson of the Royal Armed Medical Corps. General Sir Christopher Wallace, former Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies has acknowledged him in two of his books.

Former BBC producers Hugh Purcell and Margaret Percy have been with Rajesh several times on Delhi 1857 sites. Former BBC producer Philip Geddes made a Documentary ‘The Devils Wind’ on 1857 and Rajesh took them around for the shoot. He was interviewed by General 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. He has never studied History beyond the 8th Standard!