The Thuggee Cult: History's Most Successful Serial Killers

For over six centuries, a hereditary cult of assassins operated across India with terrifying efficiency. The Thuggee (pronounced "tug-ee") posed as friendly fellow travelers, gained victims' trust over days or weeks of journeying together, then ritually strangled them with a ceremonial cloth called a rumal. They believed each murder was a sacred offering to Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction, and that their killings prevented the end of the world.

The Thugs were masters of deception. They traveled in groups of 10-200, disguised as merchants, pilgrims, or soldiers. They befriended travelers, shared meals, and built trust before striking at a predetermined signal - often a coded phrase like "bring the tobacco." One Thug would loop the rumal around the victim ...