In upper India a number of so called criminal castes were in existence which claim Rajput descent. It was hoped that, after the defeat of the Rajputs by the Muslims, some groups of them dispossessed of their land, were unable to earn a living by cultivation or as a soldiers of the armies and took to a life of crime. During the almost continuous wars in North India and the struggle for their supremacy there was not any authority to check these lawless groups which pilfered the countryside. After the British had taken over the rule of India, however they were determined to stamp out these antisocial bodies and to impose law and order. The British administration at that time was mainly confronted with two well organized bodies of criminal pursuit, The Thags and Pindaries. They had to be exterminated in specially organized campaigns. Finally the various displaced and apparent communities were also to be tackled.