Jallianwala Bagh massacre: Today is 102 years of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tribute to the brave Indians who died in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, 1919. The Prime Minister took to Twitter and wrote: "Tributes to those martyred in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Their courage, heroism, and sacrifice give strength to every Indian." According to British government records, 379 people including men, women, and children were killed while 1,200 were injured in the indiscriminate firing ordered by Colonel Reginald Dyer. Unarmed protesters and pilgrims had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on the occasion of Baisakhi.
Days after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Martial Law was imposed on five districts - Lahore, Amritsar, Gujranwala, Gujarat and Lyallpore.
''India will never forget the supreme sacrifice of the valient people who gave their lived to free Maa Bharati from the shackles of slavery...," Home Minister Amit Shah said in his tribute.
"My humble tributes to the brave martyrs who were massacred in Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919. No matter how many years pass, the pain that the Jallianwala Bagh massacre inflicted in the hearts of every Indian will always remain the same...," Vice President Venkaiah Naidu tweeted.
Jallianwala Bagh massacre: Here's what happened on April 13, 1919
- Around 50 soldiers of the British Indian Army, under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, fired on unarmed people who had gathered for Baishakhi at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar.
- The people, a majority of whom were Sikhs, had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh to celebrate Baisakhi and also to condemn the arrest and deportation of two freedom fighters, Satya Pal and Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew.
- On Colonel Dyer's order, the soldiers opened fire. The firing went on for about 10 minutes.
- According to British government, 379 people died and 1,200 were wounded in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Some records say, nearly a thousand were killed.
- The Jallianwalah Bagh massacre angered the Indian people and Mahatma Gandhi called the Noncooperation Movement.