Paan Singh Tomar was an Indian athlete, ex-Indian Army Subedar and a bandit. He was born in 1932 in Bhidosa village of Morena district in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. He was national steeplechase (a 3,000 metre hurdles race that includes a water jump) champion for 7 consecutive years. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall. His wife’s name was Indra. He was known as Paana in his army days. He became a bandit because of a land dispute in his native village. Babbu Singh, a relative of Paan Singh grabbed the land of Paan Singh’s elder brother. Paan Singh tried to reclaim the land by taking the issue to Panchayat and District Collector but the Collector in order to settle the dispute asked Paan Singh to pay some amount to Babbu Singh and take back his land. It is said that later Babbu Singh abused Paan Singh’s mother in the same land dispute and to revenge it Paan Singh murdered Babbu Singh and became a bandit. He died on 2nd October 1981 in an encounter with Police at Ratiyan Ka Pura village near Bhind.
Below is a video interview of his relatives describing the series of event that caused Paan Singh Tomar to become a bandit.
Leave a Reply