| Native name | Dadua (ददुआ) |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Devkali village, Chitrakoot district, Uttar Pradesh |
| Death date | 22 July 2007 |
| Death place | Ailaha village, Chitrakoot district, Uttar Pradesh |
| Father | Ram Pyare Patel |
| Mother | Krishnawati Patel |
| Relatives | Bal Kumar Patel (brother) Ram Singh Patel (nephew) |
| Occupation | Dacoit |
Shiv Kumar Patel or Dadua (died 22 July 2007) was a criminal and dacoit who operated in ravines and forests on the borders between the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Dadua’s gang possessed sophisticated weaponry, including automatic rifles.
Biography
Shiv Kumar Patel or Dadua was born in Devkali village of Chitrakoot district to Ram Pyare Patel and Krishnawati Patel.[citation needed] His first recorded instance of crime was the murder of Jagannath on 16 May 1978, for which he was arrested. He was called a revolutionary by some people. He was a member of the Seetharam gang since 1975.[1]
After his release, Dadua joined the ranks of Raja Ragoli, where he learned the trade from Gaya Kurmi, the gang's co-leader, who is regarded as a major factor behind Dadua's rise.[1]
In 1983, Raja was killed and Gaya Kurmi surrendered, leaving the gang jointly headed by Suraj Bhan and Dadua. Suraj Bhan was arrested a year later and Dadua formed his own gang at the insistence of Gaya Kurmi.[1]
Dadua led the massacre in Ramu ka Purwa where he executed nine people on 20 June 1986; he suspected one of the victims to be a police informer.[1]
He came to be known as "Veerappan of Bundelkhand" and terrorized the region.[2]
Death
Dadua was shot along with several gang members in a fight with Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police in Ailaha village near Manikpur (Chitrakoot district) on 22 July 2007.[3][4]
Family and legacy
At the time of his death, his son Veer Singh Patel was the chairman of the Karwi panchayat and later became member (MLA) of Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha from Chitrakoot (2012-2017). His daughter Chirunji Devi Patel (Block pramukh Dhata, Fatehpur district).[citation needed]
Dadua's brother Bal Kumar Patel has served as Lok Sabha MP of Mirzapur (2009-2014). His nephew Ram Singh Patel is member (MLA) of Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha from Patti (2022–Present).[1]
A temple was built for him in 2016 at Dhata town, Fatehpur district.[5]
In 2020, web series Beehad Ka Baghi was released. It was inspired by the life of Dadua.[6]
References
- ^ "Profile of the dreaded dacoit Dadua – Jul 22, 2007". Hindustan Times. 22 July 2007. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- ^ "UP: 'बुंदेलखंड के वीरप्पन' के बेटे-भतीजे को सपा ने मैदान में उतारा, जानें- ददुआ की सियासी ताकत" [UP: SP fielded son-nephew of 'Veerappan of Bundelkhand', know - political power of Dadua] (in Hindi). Aaj Tak. 3 February 2022. Archived 10 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ "Dreaded dacoit Dadua killed in UP". 23 July 2007. Archived 30 October 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 May 2023. – via The Economic Times - The Times of India.
- ^ "Notorious Indian bandit 'killed'". 23 July 2007. Archived 20 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 July 2007. – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ Verma, Amita (2018-08-04). "Mission 2019: Dacoit being promoted as Kurmi leader". The Asian Age. Archived 18 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-12-17.
- ^ Singh, Swati (2020-12-04). "'बीहड़ का बागी' क्या कुख्यात डकैत ददुआ की कहानी दोहराती है?" (in Hindi). NDTV India. Retrieved 2025-10-22.