Thuggee
From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference
Acolytes of Thuggee were a cult of robbers and murderers in 19th-century India who were offering their victims to Kali, the goddess of death and destruction. They had a habit of first tricking and then strangling their victims. (COMIC: The Swords of Kali)
Behind the scene
The word "thug" goes back to Thuggee of India.
