New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh paid a tribute to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh on the 107th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, calling the incident ‘one of the darkest and most painful chapters’ in history.

“On #JallianwalaBagh massacre remembrance day, I bow my head in deep reverence to the countless innocent lives lost in one of the darkest and most painful chapters in our nation’s history. This tragedy was not just an act of brutality—it was a wound on the soul of India. Yet, from that pain emerged a stronger resolve, a united voice, and an unshakable determination to break the chains of colonial rule. Today, as we remember them, we are reminded of the true cost of our freedom. May the brave souls rest in eternal peace. Their sacrifice will forever remain a guiding light for generations to come,” Harbhajan wrote on X.

Over a century ago, on this day in 1919, the brutal actions of British colonial authorities made a profound impression on the Indian independence movement. This tragedy served as a crucial wake-up call for the public, revealing the extent of foreign cruelty and forever altering the path of the fight for freedom.

The incident took place during the Baisakhi festival, when thousands of unarmed men, women, and children assembled at Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh to celebrate the Sikh New Year. Unaware that the British administration had declared Martial Law, which banned public gatherings and enforced strict curfews, this miscommunication led to a tragic event.

On April 13, 1919, as thousands still gathered in the garden for celebrations, Colonel Reginald Dyer, the Acting Brigadier, arrived with his troops and promptly commanded them to open fire without warning or allowing the crowd a chance to disperse.

Dyer’s forces, comprising two armoured cars equipped with machine guns and Gurkha and Baluchi soldiers armed with Scinde rifles, kept firing at the crowd for 10 to 15 minutes. They shot over 1,650 rounds of ammunition at innocent civilians.

Although official reports later listed 379 deaths and approximately 1,200 injuries, the actual death toll is believed to exceed 1,000, with many more injured.

The massacre occurred at Jallianwala Bagh, a walled garden bordered on three sides by buildings. Its only entrance was packed with people, making escape impossible. Also called the Amritsar Massacre, this brutal act of violence was a shocking event and a pivotal moment in India’s fight for independence.

–IANS

vi/bc