BHAGAT SINGH, RAJGURU AND SUKHDEV EXECUTED

Owing to a strike of the press staff, The Tribune was unable to publish the paper from March 23 to 25, 1920. Also, there was no edition dated March 24, 1970, on account of Holi. Therefore, on the occasion of the death anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh on March 23, we are reproducing a report from our edition dated March 25, 1931.

BHAGAT SINGH, Sukhdev and Rajguru were executed at about 7:15 p.m. on Monday. Earlier in the day, two petitions had been rejected by the High Court. Counsel telegraphed to the Viceroy to stay the execution as they were moving the Privy Council against the High Court order. Unfortunately due to certain conditions imposed by the jail authorities, their relations could not even interview them. About 7:15 p.m. loud and continued shouts of Inquilab Zindabad emerged from inside the jail, and these shouts made people in the locality suspect that the executions were taking place. Dr. Gopichand sent this telegram to the District Magistrate, Lahore Superintendent, Lahore Central Jail, and the Chief Secretary to the Government of the Punjab:--“Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev hanged this evening. Where and when should we present for taking the dead bodies? Sardar Kishan Singh, father of Sardar Bhagat Singh, and mothers of Rajguru and Sukhdev, are at Lahore.” Futile quest for bodies: Sardar Kishan Singh and Lala Chintram, uncle of Sukhdev, with others went to see a jail official for claiming the bodies. Though he was at home he sent word that he was not. A local official, who ought to know, was phoned to; and he began speaking, but when he knew what it was about he cut the phone. Bhagat Singh’s letter: Bhagat Singh and his comrades, while refusing to make any mercy plea, in a letter to the Punjab Governor, stated: “According to the verdict of your court we are said to have been waging war and are consequently war prisoners. We claim to be treated as such. i.e., we claim to be shot dead. We very earnestly hope that you will order the Military Department to send a detachment or a shooting party to perform our executions.”

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