Betrayed dacoits to stay 'indoors' during UP elections

Fatehpur, UP, Mar 29 (UNI) Betrayed by their 'political friends,' three wanted dacoits in Uttar Pradesh, who had earlier helped political leaders win seats, would not venture out to intimidate the electorate in the coming state Assembly elections.

Shiv Kumar alias Dadua, Ambika Patel alias Thokia and Umar Kewat have decided against campaigning for their political friends, sources said.

The dacoits, carrying rewards on their heads, claimed that politicians fail to fulfill their promises after coming to power.

During the last state Assembly elections, Dadua had openly campaigned for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The results in the Bundelkhand and Doaba areas are indicator of his terror in the region. During the last Lok Sabha elections, Dadua switched loyalties to ride the bycycle (SP's election symbol) -- helping the ruling party in the same region.

Dadua had been an active dacoit in UP and neighbouring Madhya Pradesh for the past 29 years. Amazingly, police has no photograph of the dreaded dacoit, who has a cash reward of Rs 5.5 lakh on his head.

While he has 194 cases pending against him, the state police, after spending crores of rupees, have failed to eliminate his terror regime.

Dadua's lament is that his younger brother Bal Kumar was not given a ticket by the Samajwadi Party from Bara Assembly constituency in Allahabad district. After several rounds of cajoling, he could manage a ticket for his brother from Patti Assembly seat in Pratapgarh district. Dadua's son, Veer Singh is Zila Panchayat president at Chitrakoot.

Sources claimed that Dadua now terms BSP as his better friend.

Thokia, carrying a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh on his head, has also maintained silence on his plans for the Assembly elections.

He claims that politicians are wary of extending help once they come to power. In the last Assembly elections, while he had campaigned for BSP in Karvi Assembly seat, he had helped BJP in Nareni Assembly segment.

Umer Kewat, a dacoit for 15 years, carries a bounty of Rs one lakh. Unlike the last Assembly elections, when he supported the BJP in Kishunpur and Kheru-Kamasin Assembly seats, this time around he too has preferred to stay indoors.

IG (Allahabad zone) Amar Dutt Mishra admits of a tacit understanding of these dacoits with politicians who use the outlaws to garner votes. The caste of the dacoits and their terror had been use to the hilt by politicians to win votes. However, this time around, bullet would stay away from ballot.

UNI