Compounder turned dreaded gangster spread terror:Burned enemies in limestone furnace, lived as sadhu before arrest in Ayodhya

Today’s case in Madhya Pradesh Crime Files recounts the story of a feared criminal who spread terror across several districts for years. Not only ordinary citizens, but even hardened criminals were wary of him. Kishore Tiwari, also known as Kissu, began life as a modest compounder in Katni. Over time, he transformed into a ruthless gangster, eliminating his enemies with such brutality that people feared even crossing his path. In multiple serious criminal cases, the police themselves hesitated to act directly against him. How did an ordinary compounder eventually become a dreaded criminal? Why was there so much fear among his enemies? And what was his method of killing enemies? The answers lie in a series of chilling incidents. Arrest in disguise at Ayodhya At Hanumangarhi, near the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, crowds of sadhus and devotees gathered as usual. Among them moved a saffron-clad sadhu, with a long white beard, a tilak on his forehead and a rosary in his hand, indistinguishable from others. Within moments, the atmosphere shifted. Police officers present in the crowd stepped forward and stopped him. The man, who had been living in Ayodhya for years and was heading for his routine bath in the Saryu river, suddenly found himself under scrutiny. Who was this man in disguise? The answer revealed a far more sinister past. Murder on New Year’s eve The story traces back to 31 December 1986. Rajendra, who worked in Bhilai, had returned to Katni to visit his parents. Around 8 pm, while returning from an event, he encountered an old acquaintance near the Municipal Corporation office. A dispute broke out, drawing in several others who knew each other. To settle matters, they decided to celebrate New Year’s Eve together. They bought alcohol and drove to a roadside dhaba outside the city. However, while drinking, the argument reignited. Amid rising tempers, Rajendra struck one of the men. Emergence of Kissu During the altercation, a young man accompanying the group picked up a wooden log and struck Rajendra on the head, splitting it open. This man was Kishore Tiwari, alias Kissu. As Rajendra attempted to flee, he was captured, forced into a car and taken to the forests of Jhukehi near Katni. There, he was brutally beaten until he died. His body was then disposed of in a nearby limestone furnace. Clues from burnt remains When Rajendra failed to return home, his family grew concerned. His brother Prakash began searching and discovered he had last been seen with Vivek and others. On 1 January 1987, a missing person report was filed. Investigators learned that the vehicle used had been seen returning from Jhukehi. Soon after, police were informed of burnt skeletal remains found in a limestone furnace there. Upon examination, fragments of charred bones were recovered. A pattern of brutality This was not the first such discovery. Earlier, similar remains had been found in the same kiln, linked to the disappearance of Rajesh, also known as Raju Soni, from Jabalpur in 1985. Investigations revealed that Rajesh had allegedly harassed a college student, stalking and troubling her regularly. The girl was Kissu’s cousin. After learning of this, Kissu abducted Rajesh, took him to the Jhukehi forest, shot him, and then threw him alive into a limestone furnace, burning him to death. From compounder to crime lord These incidents established that Kissu was no ordinary criminal, but a brutal and calculated gangster. During the 1980s, his name alone instilled fear across Katni and Jabalpur. Initially working as a compounder, he found neither respect nor financial gain in the profession. Gradually, he entered organised crime. His primary operation involved collecting and illegally selling discarded diesel from the Katni railway depot. He also took contracts in lime mining. Anyone who obstructed his operations faced violent elimination. Fear silenced witnesses Despite multiple incidents, police struggled to gather concrete evidence. Kissu’s reign of terror ensured that witnesses remained silent. His reputation alone was enough to deter anyone from speaking against him. Read in Crime Files Part-2