Thug Behram
Thuggee leader with disputed record of over 931 murders.
Thug Behram, also known in his time as Buhram Jemadar, was a leader of a thuggee gang in the region of Oudh during the late 1700s and early 1800s. He is listed in Guinness World Records as the most prolific murderer ever, with a claimed total of more than 931 killings. However, historians consider that number unlikely, and Behram himself admitted to strangling 125 people with his own hands.
By the 1830s, Behram had been a thuggee leader for about 40 years and was still active as late as 1832, leading expeditions in Oudh. In 1835, a former thug named Ramzan, who had worked under Behram and later became an informant, was asked by East India Company officials if he could identify Behram, on whom the British had placed a reward of 100 rupees. That night, Ramzan led eight sepoys to Behram’s house in the village of Sohanee. When Behram came out to greet him and warmed himself by a fire Ramzan had lit, the guards surrounded and captured him. Behram immediately admitted to being a thug and promised to cooperate.
In his first statement in 1836, recorded by Captain James Paton—the Assistant Resident at Lucknow and head of the Anti-Thuggee Campaign in Oudh—Behram confessed: “I may have strangled with my own hands about 125 men, and I may have seen strangled 150 more.” A year later, Paton quoted Behram as having “been present” at 931 murders. In 1840, Paton described Behram as “a notorious leader of assassins,” aged 60 or 70, who, despite his age, was respected by other thugs for his “energy of character.” Paton also called him “one of the best approvers.” During interviews at Lucknow, Behram stressed the status of thugs, saying, “The Thug is the Badshah! King of all these classes!” When asked about other criminals, Paton recorded Behram’s animated response: he imitated a skulking thief and said, “a chor! a thief! … but a Thug! rides his horse! wears his dagger! And shews affront! … thieving! never! never! If a banker’s treasure were before me, and entrusted to my care, though in hunger, and dying, I would spurn to steal! but let a banker go on a journey, and I would certainly murder him! but not a Mahajun whom I knew; I despise a Dacoit! a robber! let him come before me!”
In 1837, Behram was tried before Colonel John Low, the Resident at Lucknow, and sentenced to life imprisonment in irons.
Regarding the murder count, an 1838 map of thuggee activity in the Kingdom of Oudh attributed to Behram’s gangs “931 Murders in 40 years of actual Thuggee,” averaging about two murders per month. James L. Sleeman, grandson of thuggee-hunter William Henry Sleeman, wrote in his 1933 book *Thug: Or a Million Murders* that his grandfather heard of Behram’s supposed 931 murders with disbelief. In Sleeman’s invented account, presented as fact, Behram replies: “Sahib, there were many more, but I was so intrigued in luring them to destruction that I ceased counting when certain of my thousand victims.” Guinness World Records still lists Behram as the most prolific murderer, claiming he strangled at least 931 people between 1790 and 1840.
Historian Mike Dash notes that, spread over four decades and considering thugs were rarely active outside the cold season, this would mean 24 deaths per year over four months—or one murder every five days. Given that thuggee depositions suggest luring and killing victims often took more than 20 days, Dash finds this improbable. Paton never explained the gap between Behram’s earlier confession of 275 murders (125 personally strangled) and the later claim of 931. Kim A. Wagner describes Behram’s boast of 931 murders as a brag.
- born
- c. 1775
- field
- Thuggee gang leader
- nationality
- Indian (Oudh)
- known_for
- Guinness World Record for most prolific murderer (disputed)
Lore & Background
By the 1830s, Buhram was a thuggee jemadar (gang leader) and had been active for 40 years. He remained at large as late as 1832, carrying out expeditions in Oudh. According to the 1837 testimony of Ramzan, a Thug-turned-approver captured in 1835 and who had worked under Buhram, he was asked by East India Company officials if he could point out Buhram, upon whom the British had placed a Rs 100 reward. That night, Ramzan led eight sepoys to Buhram's house in the village of Sohanee. Buhram came out to greet him and, while warming himself up by a fire that Ramzan had lit, he was surrounded and seized by the guards. He immediately confessed to being a Thug and pledged to cooperate. In Buhram's first deposition in 1836, Captain James Paton, the Assistant Resident at Lucknow and in charge of the Anti-Thuggee Campaign in Oudh from the mid-1830s, quotes him as confessing: "I may have strangled with my own hands about 125 men, and I may have seen strangled 150 more." A year later, Paton quoted him as having "been present" at 931 murders. Paton described Buhram in 1840 as "a notorious leader of assassins", aged 60 or 70, who for his age and "energy of character is looked up to by all the other Thugs." He further described Buhram as "one of the best approvers." In Buhram's interviews with Paton at Lucknow, he emphasised the status of Thugs: "The Thug is the Badshah! King of all these classes!" On the subject of other robbers, Paton recorded Buhram as responding: "with his usual great animation, 'a chor! a thief! (here he imitated a skulking thief) but a Thug! (rising with animation) rides his horse! wears his dagger! And shews affront! 'choree na! Kubbee nyhen!' thieving! never! never! If a bankers' treasure were before me, and entrusted to my care, though in hunger, and dying, I would spurn to steal! but let a banker go on a journey, and I would certainly, ('albutta') murder him! but not a Mahajun whom I knew; (indignantly) I despise a Dacoit! a robber! ('pajee!') contemptible! let him come before me! 'our Keea!' (what else!)"
In 1837, Buhram was tried before Colonel John Low, the Resident at Lucknow, and sentenced to life imprisonment in irons.
Reader's Guide
Thug Behram's significance lies in his contested status as the most prolific murderer in history, a claim preserved by Guinness World Records but disputed by historians. The figure of 931 murders, ascribed to his gangs on an 1838 map of thuggee activity in the Kingdom of Oudh, contrasts sharply with his own confession of personally strangling 125 victims and being present at 275. Mike Dash notes that, spread across the four decades of Buhram's career and taking into account that Thugs were rarely active outside the cold season, this would require there to have been 24 deaths a year over four months, or one murder every five days of his career. Taking this together with various thuggee depositions that suggest the whole process of luring and killing their victims often took more than 20 days to complete, Dash finds this improbable. Paton never addressed the discrepancy between this and Buhram's earlier confession to having been involved in 275 murders, personally strangling 125 of them. Kim A. Wagner describes Buhram's claim to have been involved in 931 murders as a brag. James L. Sleeman's 1933 book *Thug: Or a Million Murders* begins with his grandfather learning incredulously of Buhram's supposed murder count of 931; in Sleeman's invented account, Buhram responds: "Sahib, there were many more, but I was so intrigued in luring them to destruction that I ceased counting when certain of my thousand victims." Buhram's life sentence in irons marked the end of a career that had made him a symbol of the thuggee menace.
Did You Know?
- Buhram was captured after a Thug-turned-approver named Ramzan led eight sepoys to his house in the village of Sohanee, where he was seized while warming himself by a fire.
- The British had placed a Rs 100 reward on Buhram's head at the time of his capture.
- In his first deposition in 1836, Buhram confessed to personally strangling about 125 men and seeing 150 more strangled.
- Captain James Paton described Buhram in 1840 as 'a notorious leader of assassins', aged 60 or 70, with 'energy of character' looked up to by all other Thugs.
- Buhram was tried before Colonel John Low, the Resident at Lucknow, in 1837 and sentenced to life imprisonment in irons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Thug Behram?
Thug Behram, alternatively called Buhram Jemadar, was a criminal leader operating in the Oudh region of India from roughly the 1770s onward. He headed a thuggee cell that targeted travelers for ritualistic strangling during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
What was Thug Behram's role in the thuggee network?
He functioned as the top organizer within his local thuggee group, directing the selection of victims and the execution of strangling attacks along trade routes in Oudh. His leadership position made him the principal figure authorities pursued when the cult's activities were exposed.
How does Thug Behram's story end?
The canon indicates his story concludes with a confession in which he acknowledged personally strangling 125 victims. That admission, rather than the larger attributed total, became the baseline for what he himself claimed responsibility for.
Why is Thug Behram important in criminal history?
He is credited with the Guinness World Record for the highest number of murders by a single individual, a distinction that places him at the extreme end of serial-killing statistics. His case also remains a central reference point for scholars studying the thuggee phenomenon and British colonial law enforcement in India.
How many murders is Thug Behram actually responsible for?
The Guinness entry lists more than 931 killings, yet many historians consider that figure implausible for one person. In his own words, Behram admitted to strangling only 125 victims, leaving a significant gap between the official record and his personal confession.
More in Criminals And Outlaws 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record