Editing Phoolan Devi (section)

== Assassination<span class="anchor" id="Assassination of Phoolan Devi"></span> ==
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title            = Assassination of Phoolan Devi
| location         = New Delhi
| date             = 25 July 2001
| time             = 13:30
| timezone         = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| type             = Murder
| fatalities       = Phoolan Devi
| injuries         = 1
| victims          = 
| perpetrators     = 3 unidentified gunmen
}}

At 13:30 ([[Indian Standard Time|IST]]) on 25 July 2001, Phoolan Devi was shot dead by three unknown assailants outside her house at 44 Ashoka Road in New Delhi.<ref name="Shotdead">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2001/07/26/stories/01260001.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020131194802/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/2001/07/26/stories/01260001.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 January 2002 |title=Phoolan Devi shot dead |access-date=31 October 2018 |work=The Hindu |date=26 July 2001}}</ref> She was shot nine times and her bodyguard was hit twice; he returned fire as the attackers escaped by car. She was rushed to [[Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital|Lohia Hospital]] and was pronounced [[dead on arrival]].<ref name="Shotdead" /> She was aged 37 when she died and serving as an MP.<ref name="Telegraph-obit"/><ref name="Moxham-Chapter6"/> All business of both houses of [[Parliament of India|Parliament]] was adjourned for two days and the funeral took place in [[Mirzapur]].<ref name="Moxham-Chapter8">{{cite book |last1=Moxham |first1=Roy |title=Outlaw: India's Bandit Queen and me |date=2010 |publisher=Rider|location=London |isbn=978-1-84604-182-2 |chapter=Chapter 8 |edition=Ebook}}</ref> Umed Singh commented "No one likes it when someone, especially a woman, from the lower classes rises and makes a name for herself" and her lawyer Kamini Jaiswal stated "This murder is the result of caste conflict."<ref name="TNM">{{cite web |last1=Narayan |first1=Ranjana |title=Nobody likes it when a woman from the lower classes makes a name for herself: Phoolan Devi's husband |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/nobody-likes-it-when-woman-lower-classes-makes-name-herself-phoolan-devis-husband-23727 |website=The News Minute |access-date=3 July 2023 |language=en |date=25 February 2015 |archive-date=3 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703135058/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/nobody-likes-it-when-woman-lower-classes-makes-name-herself-phoolan-devis-husband-23727 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Bhatt">{{cite news |last1=Bhatt |first1=Sheela |title=Phoolan got threatening calls: Lawyer |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jul/25phool.htm |access-date=3 July 2023 |work=Rediff.com |date=25 July 2001 |archive-date=3 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703142337/https://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jul/25phool.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The criminal case against her was still open at the time of her death.<ref name="Mallick" />

Days after the murder, [[Sher Singh Rana]] surrendered to police in [[Dehra Dun]] and claimed he had assassinated Phoolan Devi in revenge for the Behmai massacre; he at first struggled to convince police that he was present at the scene of the crime.<ref name="Telegraph-arrest">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Man arrested for murder of 'Bandit Queen' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1335484/Man-arrested-for-murder-of-Bandit-Queen.html |access-date=17 December 2022 |work=The Daily Telegraph|date=27 July 2001 |archive-date=12 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212140847/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1335484/Man-arrested-for-murder-of-Bandit-Queen.html |url-status=live |url-access= subscription}}</ref><ref name="Guardian-Mystery">{{cite news |last1=Harding |first1=Luke |title=Mystery surrounds Bandit Queen murder |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/jul/30/worlddispatch.lukeharding |access-date=17 December 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=30 July 2001 |language=en |archive-date=17 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221217190351/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/jul/30/worlddispatch.lukeharding |url-status=live }}</ref> He escaped from [[Tihar Jail]] in 2004 and was recaptured two years later.<ref name="News Karnataka">{{Cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=8 August 2014 |title=Main accused in Phoolan Devi's killing convicted |work=News Karnataka |agency=Indo-Asian News Service |url=http://www.newskarnataka.com/india/Main-accused-in-Phoolan-Devis-killing-convicted/ |url-status=dead |access-date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809135532/http://www.newskarnataka.com/india/Main-accused-in-Phoolan-Devis-killing-convicted/ |archive-date=9 August 2014}}</ref> In August 2014, Rana received a life sentence for murder, with ten co-defendants being acquitted.<ref name="Guardian-Killer">{{cite news |title=Killer of Phoolan Devi, India's 'Bandit Queen', given life sentence |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/14/sher-singh-rana-murderer-phoolan-devi-bandit-queen-life-sentence |access-date=17 December 2022 |work=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press |date=14 August 2014 |language=en |archive-date=23 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023060740/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/14/sher-singh-rana-murderer-phoolan-devi-bandit-queen-life-sentence |url-status=live }}</ref> Two years later, he appealed his sentence to the [[Delhi High Court]] and was set free by Justice [[Gita Mittal]] on a [[Recognizance|personal bond]] of ₹50,000 (equivalent to ₹72,000 or £750 in 2023) and two [[Surety|sureties]], each of the same amount. He was required to not interact with Phoolan Devi's family and to report to the police every six months, whilst also informing them where he stayed and what mobile telephone number he was using.<ref name="NDTV">{{Cite web |title=Sher Singh Rana gets bail in Phoolan Devi murder case |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sher-singh-rana-gets-bail-in-phoolan-devi-murder-case-1477819 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823103221/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sher-singh-rana-gets-bail-in-phoolan-devi-murder-case-1477819 |archive-date=23 August 2019 |access-date=3 December 2020 |publisher=NDTV}}</ref><ref name="Bail-HT">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Out on bail, Sher Singh Rana marries girl from MP |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/dehradun/out-on-bail-sher-singh-rana-marries-girl-from-mp/story-64SOGI08hoZKNWLEecM7ZP.html |access-date=18 June 2023 |work=Hindustan Times |date=21 February 2018 |language=en |archive-date=18 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618135742/https://www.hindustantimes.com/dehradun/out-on-bail-sher-singh-rana-marries-girl-from-mp/story-64SOGI08hoZKNWLEecM7ZP.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 

In August 2001, Umed Singh announced prior to Phoolan Devi's [[terahvin]] that he was setting up a trust to administer the properties she owned; he was immediately denounced by her sisters and mother, who claimed he was trying to steal her investments worth ₹25 million (equivalent to ₹100 million or £1 million in 2023). Munni Devi alleged that Umed Singh knew the murderers and challenged his alibi. She said that Umed Singh was abusive towards Phoolan Devi and that her sister had tried at least twice to divorce him.<ref name="Tripathi">{{cite news |last1=Tripathi |first1=Purnima S. |title=Troubled legacy |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/other/article30251546.ece |access-date=3 July 2023 |work=The Hindu |date=17 August 2001 |language=en |archive-date=3 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703140414/https://frontline.thehindu.com/other/article30251546.ece |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="TTC">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=High drama over property Phoolan's husband, sister trade charges |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010802/main5.htm |access-date=3 July 2023 |work=The Tribune, Chandigarh |agency=Tribune News Service |date=2 August 2001 |archive-date=3 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703144529/https://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010802/main5.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Phoolan Devi's first husband Puttilal also made a demand for her properties since they had never officially divorced.<ref name="Petition">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Putti Lal files petition for Phoolan's properties |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2001/aug/24phoo.htm |access-date=3 July 2023 |work=Rediff.com |date=24 August 2001 |archive-date=3 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703141204/https://www.rediff.com/news/2001/aug/24phoo.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>