Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/146

 138 KHA attacked only those who presumed to reside in or cultivate the lands of which they had been robbed; but Jugurnath and his brethren were less scrupulous, and as they could afford to pay such bands in no other way, they gave them freo license to plunder all the villages around and all travellers on the highway. Their position and influence at the Residency enabled them to deter the local authorities from exposing their iniquities, and they went on till the villages became waste and converted into dens of robbers. "They were in all six brothers, and they found their new trade so pro- fitable and exciting that they all became leaders of banditti by profession long before the dismissal of the two brothers from the Residency, though no one, I believe, ventured to prefer charges against them to the Resident or the Durbar. Soon after their dismissal, however, Jugurnath one night attacked and murdered his eldest brother Suruhdowun Sing in order to get the whole estate to himself, and put his widow and daughter into prison, His other four brothers became alarmed, separated from him, and set up each his separate gang. But Jugurnath contrived soon after in a dark night to shoot the third brother, Himmut, dead with one ball through the chest. “Purmode Sing, the youngest brother, was soon after shot dead by some villagers whose cattle he was driving off in a night attack. Bhug- wunt Sing, the fourth, and Byjonath still survive, and have gangs of their own, afraid to trust themselves with Jugurnath, who has built two forts, Oskamow and Futtehpore, in the Jugdeespore district, and a third in two small villagers which he has lately scized upon and made waste in the Rodowlee district, in order that he may have a stronghold to fly to when pressed by the governors of other districts. "They pay no rent or revenue to Government for any of the villages they bold. The king's Officers are afraid to demand any from them. They have plundered a great many villages, and are every month plundering others. They have murdered a great many persons of both sexes and all ages, and tortured more into paying ransoms in proportion to their sup- posed means. Jugurnath is still the terror of the surrounding country, and à reward of five hundred rupees has been offered for his apprehension."* Sleeman's Tour in Oudh, vol. II., page8 259-262. KHASAURAT--Pargana KATIÁRI—Tahsil BILGRÁX-District HARDOI. --- Khasaura (2,648 inhabitants) a well-to-do Ahír village of 399 mud houses in pargana Katiári, tahsil Bilgrám, district Hardoi, lying on the left bank of the Rámganga, 12 miles north-west from Sándi on the road to Farukha- bad, market days Sundays and Wednesdays. Khasaura was formerly occupid by the Thatheras and Baihár Ahírs. On their destruction by the Katiár Rajputs it was allotted to Kfrat Sák, ancestor of the loyal Rája Sir Hardeo Bakhsh, K.C.S.I., to whose taluqa Khasa uxa gives its name. thousand rupees has since been offerent for Jugurnath's arrest. See in chapter 17., vol. II.. an account of his desertion of his master, Captain Paton. He is still at large, and plundering. December 4th, 1851,
 * See note to chapter VI., vol. II., on the capture of Mahaput Sing. A reward of one
 * By Mr. A. Harington, C.S.