Dayaram: uneducated but fiendishly-clever bandit chieftain

Gwalior, Aug 6 (UNI) 'T-1' is the codename for dacoit chieftain Dayaram Gadaria in a Madhya Pradesh Police list and the uneducated yet fiendishly-clever bandit has long been the mastermind of a dreaded gang.

Speculation is rife that Dayaram was neutralised in a police encounter yesterday. Known as 'Fauji' among his accomplices, the chieftain alone carries a reward of Rs 5 lakh. Dayaram's second-in-command is his brother Rambabu.

Before taking to crime, the brother duo led an almost unbelievably innocuous existence grazing goats in Gwalior district's Harsi area. They absconded along with maternal cousins Gopal and Pratap Gadaria, besides Badri Baghel, after slaying Bhagwanlal Baghel in a dispute over a woman.

The gang, led by maternal cousin Raghveer, began committing loot and abduction in forests. In November 1999, Raghuveer, Badri, Vijay and another dacoit Siyaram Gadaria were killed in an encounter.

Thereafter, command and control passed into Dayaram's hands.

Several crimes followed but on March 15, 2000 the gang reached this district's Karhia Police Station to surrender but the police projected the matter as if the bandits were arrested during an encounter. Subsequently, the dacoits lodged several complaints that surrender terms were violated and facilities not provided in jail.

Meanwhile, a court sentenced them to life imprisonment in three cases. On March 23, 2001, the bandits escaped after throwing chilli powder into policemen's eyes at Jaurasi Ghati while being brought back from a hearing in a Dabra court. The personnel's weapons were also looted.

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