'VALMIKI Rabuka'. THAKUR Ranjit Singh tells Indo-Fijian Hindus that Rabuka has seen light, repented, sought forgiveness - like their own Hindu sage, author of epic RAMAYANA: "A former Thug, Dacoit, Robber"

RABUKA IS 'VALMIKI RABUKA' of Fiji
RABUKA: He is a changed man now, quite different from the young hot-blooded third ranking officer from military who heeded the call of his chiefs to deny Fiji the ultimate test of democracy - preventing transition of power to Bavadra government after 1987 election.
I know my people, as many are very vindictive and unforgiving, with very strong memories, who don’t even forgive their own kith and kin, so who is Rabuka? However, they don’t seem to realise that the person who penned Ramayan[a], Valmik[i] was a thug, a dacoit and a robber once, before he saw the light, repented, sought forgiveness and ended up being a sage and author of the epic Ramayan.
Thakur Ranjit Singh, FijiPundit, 20 January 2022

Punjab & Haryana High Court Judge, Justice Rajive Bhalla:
"There is no historical or mythological basis for the story that Maharishi Valmiki was a dacoit before he became a sage."

'Maharishi Valmiki was never a dacoit':
Punjab & Haryana High Court Judge, Justice Rajive Bhalla:
"A debate rages on amongst scholars both religious and
academic about the authenticity of the story, whether
Maharshi Valmiki was a dacoit. The actual facts appear to
be lost in the mists of antiquity. Dr. Manjula Sehdev,
one such scholar kindly consented to address this court.
She has carried out a detailed research into the origin
and authenticity of this story and if her work is to be
accepted as correct, there is no
historical or mythological basis for the story that
Maharishi Valmiki was a dacoit before he became a
sage. It would, therefore, be relevant to reproduce a few
salient features of her research."

1987 Rabuka Coups:
"Any tampering with the coffin was against basic Hindu funeral rites"
And it might endanger preservation of the body until the cremation