Kolkata, Aug 9 (IANS) The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has paid glowing tributes to Indian revolutionaries who participated in the Kakori Train Action on August 9, 1925.
“Kakori Train Action — that immortal chapter of the Indian freedom struggle, which infused new vigour into the revolutionary consciousness against the British Empire,” it posted on X.
“The indomitable courage, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication to the motherland by Shri Ram Prasad Bismil, Shri Chandrashekhar Azad, and other immortal revolutionaries is an invaluable legacy of independent India. A hundred salutes to these valiant sons who offered their all for the nation’s freedom. Their sacrifice will forever inspire on the path of national service, duty, and devotion,” the SSB added.
The Kakori Train Action was a train robbery that took place near Kakori in Uttar Pradesh. It was organised by Indian revolutionaries of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). The planning was done by Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqulla Khan, since the organisation needed money for the purchase of weaponry to fight the British.
The robbery was executed by Bismil, Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Sachindra Bakshi, Keshav Chakravarthy, Manmath Nath Gupta, Mukundi Lal, Murari Lal Khanna and Banwari Lal.
The freedom fighters stopped the Number 8 Down train that was travelling from Shahjahanpur to Lucknow. As it passed Kakori, Lahiri pulled the alarm chain to stop the train, while the others overpowered the Guard. They targeted the train as it was carrying money collected as tax to the treasury in Lucknow. Passengers’ belongings were not touched, and the revolutionaries looted only the bags kept in the Guard’s cabin and contained about Rs 8,000. The idea was to fund the organisation with money that the British had collected as tax from Indians.
Several revolutionaries were arrested, and the Chief Court of Oudh pronounced its judgement on August 22, 1925. Bismil, Roshan Singh, Lahiri and Khan were sentenced to death, while Sachindranath Sanyal, Bakshi, Govind Charan Kar, Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee and Mukundi Lal were deported to the Cellular Jail in the Andamans.
Manmath Nath Gupta was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, and Raj Kumar Sinha, Vishnu Sharan Dublish, Ram Krishna Khatri, and Suresh Chandra Bhattacharya received 10 years each. Their clemency petitions were turned down.
–IANS
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