The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, one of the most tragic incidents in the Indian freedom struggle, took place on 13 April 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab. Earlier that year, the British government had enacted the Rowlatt Act (1919), which gave authorities the power to arrest and detain anyone without a warrant, search homes, confiscate property, and try suspects without a jury. This act caused widespread anger across India.
On April 9, 1919, two prominent Punjabi leaders, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satya Pal, were arrested for protesting against the Rowlatt Act. In response to their arrest, around 20,000 people gathered peacefully at Jallianwala Bagh on April 13 to protest and express solidarity.
Without any warning, Brigadier General Reginald Dyer, who was then the military commander in Amritsar, ordered his troops to open fire on the unarmed crowd. The firing continued for about ten minutes, killing hundreds and injuring thousands of innocent people trapped within the enclosed ground.
This brutal incident shocked the nation and the world, becoming a turning point in India’s struggle for independence. It is remembered as the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, also known as the Amritsar Massacre.
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