The Thugs Of Phansigars Of India: Comprising A History Of The Rise And Progress Of That Extraordinary Fraternity Of Assassins

The Thugs of Phansigars of India (two volumes) by W. H. Sleeman is a pioneering, first-hand chronicle of the notorious Thuggee fraternity. Drawing on official records, personal interrogation, and undercover investigations, Sleeman traces the cult’s origins, rituals, and methods of strangulation. He profiles key leaders, recounts dramatic arrests and trials, and details the socio-cultural conditions that enabled Thuggee to flourish. The work also documents the British campaign—led by Sleeman himself—to dismantle the network, introducing legal reforms and police practices that eradicated the murderous fraternity.