Rural Oppression to National Politics

Born into poverty and caste discrimination, Flower Devi escaped an abusive forced marriage, was abducted, rescued by fellow bandit Vikram Mallah, and formed her own gang. The 1981 Behamai massacre made her a folk hero. Following an 11‑year imprisonment, she embraced Buddhism, founded a self‑defence organization, and won a Lok Sabha seat in 1996.