Prafulla Chandra Chaki (1888-1908), Biography, Contributions, Death

Prafulla Chandra Chaki was an Indian revolutionary who opposed British colonial rule through armed revolutionary activities in the early twentieth century. He was associated with the Jugantar group and the Anushilan Samiti. He became widely known for his role in the 1908 Muzaffarpur Bomb Case with Khudiram Bose.

Prafulla Chandra Chaki Biography

Prafulla Chandra Chaki was born into a well to do Jotedar family during the Bengal Presidency period. His early education and involvement in student protests shaped his revolutionary outlook.

• Birth: Prafulla Chandra Chaki was born on 10 December 1888 in Bihar village of Bogra district, then part of Bengal Presidency and now in Bangladesh.
• Parents and Family: His father was Rajnarayan Chaki, who worked in the Nagar estate and his mother was Swarnomoyee Devi. Prafulla was the fifth child.
• Early Education: He began schooling at Namuja Janada Prasad English School in Bogra. He later moved to Rangpur with his elder brother Pratap Chandra Chaki.
• School Activities: Prafulla was expelled from Rangpur Zilla School in Class 9 after participating in a student demonstration that violated East Bengal law. He subsequently joined Rangpur National School, where he came into contact with revolutionary ideas and developed a strong commitment to anti colonial activities.
• Revolutionary Associations: Prafulla became associated with the local branch of Anushilan Samiti and later moved to Calcutta, where Barindra Kumar Ghosh brought him into the Jugantar revolutionary group.

Prafulla Chandra Chaki Contributions

Prafulla Chandra Chaki played a significant role in the underground revolutionary movement and participated in high risk operations against British officials.

• Jugantar Activities: Prafulla Chandra Chaki worked under the leadership of Barindra Kumar Ghosh and received training in physical culture, martial arts, firearms and explosives at secret revolutionary centres.
• Mission Against Fuller: His first major assignment was to assassinate Sir Joseph Bampfylde Fuller, the first Lieutenant Governor of Eastern Bengal and Assam. The planned operation was not carried out.
• Targeting Kingsford: Douglas Kingsford became a major revolutionary target because of his harsh punishments against young nationalist workers, including public floggings and severe prison sentences.

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Role of Prafulla Chaki in Muzaffarpur Mission 1908

Barindra Kumar Ghosh selected Prafulla and Khudiram Bose for Muzaffarpur Mission 1908 to assassinate Kingsford after his transfer to Muzaffarpur as District Judge for security reasons.

• Use of Alias: During the Muzaffarpur operation, Prafulla Chandra Chaki used the false identity Dinesh Chandra Roy to conceal his revolutionary activities.
• Bomb Attack: On 30 April 1908, Prafulla and Khudiram waited near the European Club and threw a bomb at a carriage they believed carried Kingsford.
• Wrong Identification: The carriage did not contain Kingsford. It carried the wife and daughter of British barrister Pringle Kennedy and both women died from injuries caused by the bombing.
• Historical Debate: The incident drew different responses among nationalist leaders. Mahatma Gandhi condemned the violence, while Bal Gangadhar Tilak defended the young revolutionaries in Kesari and demanded immediate swaraj.
• Bomb Preparation: The bomb used in the operation was prepared by Hem Chandra Kanungo, who had learned explosive techniques in Paris and contributed to revolutionary training.

Prafulla Chandra Chaki Death

Prafulla Chandra Chaki chose death rather than capture after the Muzaffarpur bombing. His final actions became an important episode in revolutionary resistance to British rule.

• Escape: After the bombing, Prafulla and Khudiram separated to escape the police. Prafulla changed his clothes and travelled by train from Samastipur towards Mokama.
• Final Encounter: On 1 May 1908, Prafulla reached Mokama Ghat railway station, where Nandalal Banerjee and police constables attempted to arrest him.
• Self Sacrifice: Prafulla used his revolver and shot himself in the head when he realised that capture was imminent. He was nineteen years old.
• Identification After Death: His head was separated from his body and sent to Kolkata for identification. The identification was connected with the subsequent capture of Khudiram Bose.
• Khudiram Bose: Khudiram Bose was later arrested, tried for the deaths of the two women and hanged on 11 August 1908 at Muzaffarpur Jail.
• Recognition: Mokama Ghat railway station was later renamed Prafulla Chaki Nagar railway station in his honour, recognising his place in India’s revolutionary anti colonial history.