Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: What Happened On The Dark Day 103 Years Ago

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place 103 years ago today (April 13, 1919). 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.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the victims and said that their unparalleled courage and sacrifice will keep motivating the coming generations.

He also shared a video of the Jallianwala Bagh memorial complex that was inaugurated last year. He stated that those 10 minutes of April 13, 1919, became the immortal story of our freedom struggle, due to which we are able to celebrate the Amrit Mahotsav of freedom today.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other leaders too paid tributes, remembering the massacre as “a symbol of the ruthlessness and brutal atrocities of foreign rule."

What happened on April 13, 1919

The British had imposed a draconian Martial Law, banning public gatherings. Unaware, a crowd of unarmed protesters and pilgrims gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Punjab's Amritsar on the occasion of Baisakhi.The crowd had assembled to peacefully protest at the venue condemning the arrest of freedom fighters Satya Pal and Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew.When Colonel Dyer got to know about the gathering, he reached the venue with around 50 soldiers and asked them to fire on those people.The firing went on for about 10 minutes and around 1,650 rounds of bullets were fired.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 massacre angered Indians and Mahatma Gandhi gave a call for non-cooperation movement.

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