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April 13 marks 106 years since the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, one of the most horrific events in India’s colonial history. On this day in 1919, hundreds of unarmed Indians were brutally killed by British troops in Amritsar, Punjab. The massacre became a turning point in India’s freedom struggle and exposed the inhuman face of British colonialism.
What Happened on April 13, 1919?
Thousands of Indians had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh on Baisakhi a significant Sikh festival to protest against the draconian Rowlatt Act. The Act allowed the British government to arrest and detain individuals without trial, sparking widespread outrage and protests across the country.
Despite a ban on public gatherings, around 20,000 people assembled in the enclosed garden. Brigadier General Reginald Dyer, without issuing any warning, ordered his troops to open fire. In just ten minutes, 1,650 rounds were fired into the crowd. With the exits blocked, many were crushed in the stampede or jumped into a well to escape the bullets.
According to official British records, 379 people were killed, but Indian estimates suggest the death toll exceeded 1,000, with over 1,500 wounded. The massacre sent shockwaves across the country, leading to widespread anger and grief.
Aftermath and Impact on India’s Freedom Movement
Following the massacre, martial law was imposed in Punjab. Public floggings, humiliations, and further repression followed. The brutality of the massacre shattered the illusion of British justice and turned many moderate Indians into fierce nationalists.
Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore renounced his British knighthood in protest. Mahatma Gandhi, who had already launched a non-violent satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act, intensified the movement. The incident became a catalyst for India’s push toward complete independence.
Udham Singh: The Man Who Avenged Jallianwala Bagh
Two decades later, on March 13, 1940, freedom fighter Udham Singh assassinated Michael O’Dwyer, the then-Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, who had endorsed General Dyer’s actions. The assassination took place at Caxton Hall in London, where O’Dwyer was delivering a speech.
Singh, who was a survivor of the massacre, held O’Dwyer responsible for the bloodshed. He was arrested immediately and proudly took responsibility for the act. During his trial, he adopted the name Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, symbolising unity across religions.
On July 31, 1940, Udham Singh was executed. He is remembered today as Shaheed-i-Azam, a martyr of the nation, whose act of vengeance became a symbol of justice and resistance.
Jallianwala Bagh now stands as a solemn memorial in Amritsar, reminding visitors of the courage and sacrifice of those who lost their lives. Every year, tributes pour in from across India to honour the memory of the victims and acknowledge the significance of the massacre in India’s path to freedom.
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