Brahmeshwar Singh, former mukhia of Khopira panchayat of Sandesh block in Bhojpur district of Bihar, assumed the leadership of the Ranvir Kisan Sangharsh Samiti from Sheo Narain Chowdhury, the mukhia of Belur block, in 1994.
Brahmeshwar turned the samiti into a militant organisation and named it after Ranvir, a former armyman who worked for the welfare of the villagers, mostly Bhumihars. He cleverly used Ranvir's name to win the support of villagers in his fight against Naxalites.
The 1999 report of the CPI(ML) said: "Ranvir Sena is the most notorious and most ruthless private army."
Brahmeshwar Singh was an accused in over 300 alleged murder cases including cases relating to the incidents of Lakshmanpur-Bathe, Mianpur, where the number of people killed was 36, Shankarbigha (18), Bathe (22), Sarthua (8), Nagari (10), Haibaspur (15), Bathani Thola (21) and Santani (13). These villages are located in Bhojpur, Jehanabad and Gaya districts of central Bihar.
The Ranvir Sena has been involved in several massacres of Dalits in central Bihar. Pregnant women and children appear to be the Ranvir Sena's special targets, for it apparently views attacks on them as an easy means to check the increase in the Dalit population.
Famous quotes by Singh:
{{/usCountry}}Famous quotes by Singh:
{{/usCountry}}"I have nothing to repent about, as all the killings carried out by my outfit were retaliatory in nature," said the Ranvir Sena chief after his arrest in Patna.
"My detention is not going to derail the farmers' war against the lower castes," Singh said after his arrest.