PART 2: Life Story of The Bandit Queen: Phoolan Devi | ISH News

In 1994, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav ordered the withdrawal of the cases against Phoolan Devi, leading to her release after spending more than ten years in prison. After her release, Phoolan joined the Samajwadi Party, surprising many people. The woman who had once been one of India’s most wanted bandits had now entered politics. In the 1996 Lok Sabha election, she contested from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh and won by around 37,000 votes. For many members of the Mallah community, it was a proud moment as they had one of their own representing them in Parliament. As a Member of Parliament, Phoolan raised issues such as women’s rights, healthcare, education, electricity, clean drinking water and ending child marriage. However, her legal troubles continued. The Behmai massacre case remained active, and she fought several court battles, including in the Supreme Court. She lost her seat in 1998 but won it back in the 1999 general election. In 1994, Phoolan married Umed Singh. The couple also appeared together in the film Sholay Aur Chingari. They converted to Buddhism for some time to escape caste discrimination but later returned to Hinduism. The same year, director Shekhar Kapur released Bandit Queen, based on Phoolan’s life. The film received international praise, including at the Cannes Film Festival. However, Phoolan strongly objected to the way she was portrayed and challenged the film in court. After a legal settlement with Channel 4, she withdrew her objections. She later published her autobiography, I, Phoolan Devi, which helped cover her legal expenses. On 25 July 2001, Phoolan Devi was shot outside her official residence on Ashoka Road in New Delhi. Three gunmen opened fire, and she was shot nine times. Although she was rushed to hospital, doctors declared her dead. She was 37 years old and was serving as a Member of Parliament at the time. Parliament suspended its proceedings for two days as a mark of respect, and she was cremated in Mirzapur. A few days later, Sher Singh Rana surrendered to the police and claimed he had killed Phoolan to avenge the Behmai massacre. He later escaped from Tihar Jail in 2004 but was caught again in 2006. In 2014, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for her murder and was later granted bail. After Phoolan’s death, disputes broke out over her property. Her husband, Umed Singh, announced plans to create a trust to manage her assets, but her mother and sisters accused him of trying to take control of her wealth. Her first husband, Puttilal, also claimed a share, saying they had never legally divorced. Even after her death, Phoolan Devi remains one of the most famous and controversial figures in modern Indian history. Her life has inspired books, films, biographies, folk songs, paintings and even an opera. Some people remember her as a ruthless criminal, while others see her as a woman shaped by poverty, caste discrimination, violence and abuse. Even today, there is no single answer to who Phoolan Devi really was. #PhoolanDevi #BanditQueen #CrimeStory #Dacoit #IndianHistory #UttarPradesh #IndiaSigningHands #ISH #ISHNews #ISL #IndianSignLanguage #SignLanguage ISH News broadcasts the Daily News and Entertainment online in Deaf-friendly accessible formats which are in Indian Sign Language (ISL), visual images with titles, voice-over and closed-captions. This ensures that we provide equal access to every individual, whilst promoting awareness. Follow us for all the latest News & Entertainment and to keep up-to date on all the happenings at ISH News: WhatsApp Channel: https://ish.news/ish-whatsapp Facebook:   / ishnews   Twitter:   / ishnews_tv   Instagram:   / ishnews   Official Site: http://www.ishnews.tv/ Thanks for watching!! Favourites, Likes, Feedbacks & Shares are always appreciated.