| Title |
JALLIANWALA BAGH
MASSACRE (a.k.a. AMRITSAR MASSACRE) |
|
Date-wise Events |
April 13, 1919 |
|
Description |
- a.k.a. Amritsar Massacre - The
blackest day in the
history of
British Raj in India
- It took place in the Jallianwala Bagh
public garden in the city of Amritsar on 13 April 1919.
- The shooting that took place was ordered by
Brigadier-General Reginald E.H. Dyer.
- Having got convinced of a major
insurrection, Dyer had banned all meetings in the city.
- On coming to know that about 15,000 to
20,000 people including women, children and the elderly had
assembled at Jallianwala Bagh, Dyer went there with fifty riflemen.
- When the crowd became adament not to leave
the garden despite warnings, Dyer ordered his riflemen to
shoot at the crowd.
- The firing continued for about ten minutes,
until the ammunition supply was almost exhausted.
- The casualty number was estimated at more
than 1,500, with approximately 1,000 dead.
- Dyer was removed from duty and forced to
retire by the House of Commons.
- He became a celebrated hero in Britain among
most of the people connected to the British Raj.
- But he remained unpopular in the House of
Commons, that voted against Dyer twice.
- This episode in fact marked the
beginning of the end of British rule in India.
- Rabindranath Tagore decided to
renounce his knighthood as "a symbolic act of protest".
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