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Chittagong Armoury Raid, Course, Leaders

14-12-2024

10:06 AM

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1 min read

Prelims: History of India & Indian National Movement.

Mains: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.

The Chittagong Armoury Raid was executed by a group of Indian revolutionaries associated with the Indian Republican Army under the leadership of Masterda Surya Sen on 18 April 1930. The raid targeted the armoury of the police and auxiliary forces located in Chittagong, now located in Bangladesh. 

Their goal was to seize a large cache of weapons and ammunition from the British authorities as a means to further the cause of Indian independence. While the raid was ultimately unsuccessful in its primary objective of inciting a widespread uprising against British rule, it did succeed in galvanizing the Indian masses and inspiring other acts of resistance across the country.

Chittagong Armoury Raid Background

During the 1920s, various revolutionary groups reorganized underground activities, while others worked within Congress, gaining mass access and providing a base for the organization in towns and villages. Many cooperated with C.R. Das in his Swarajist efforts.

  • Split of Bengal Congress (1925): After C.R. Das's death, the Bengal Congress was divided into two factions: One led by J.M. Sengupta, allied with the Anushilan group. Another was under Subhash Chandra Bose, supported by the Yugantar group.
  • Government Crackdown on Revolutionaries: In 1924, Gopinath Saha led an attempt to assassinate Calcutta Police Commissioner Charles Tegart. The government responded with a severe crackdown, arresting many revolutionaries, including Subhash Bose. Gopinath Saha was eventually executed.
  • Birth of Revolt Groups: Government repression and factionalism among revolutionaries caused significant setbacks. However, many regrouped, forming new 'Revolt Groups,' with the Chittagong Armoury Raid being the most prominent

Chittagong Armoury Raid Course

The Chittagong Armoury Raid commenced on 18 April 1930, marking a significant act of heroism and resolute action.

  • Seizing of Armouries: Led by Ganesh Ghosh, a group of revolutionaries captured the police armoury, while another team, led by Lokenath Bal, seized the Auxiliary Forces armoury.
  • Operation: Around 65 revolutionaries participated in the operation, carried out under the banner of the Indian Republican Army, Chittagong Branch.
  • Disruption of British Communications: Although they failed to find ammunition, the revolutionaries successfully cut telephone and telegraph lines, disrupting train services.
  • Proclamation of Provisional Government: About 16 revolutionaries seized the European Club headquarters in Pahartali. With few members present due to Good Friday, the alarm was raised, and nearby troops responded, catching the revolutionaries off guard.
  • Declaration of Independence: Following the raids, Surya Sen performed a military salute, raised the national flag, declared a Provisional Revolutionary Government, and left Chittagong before dawn to seek safety.

Chittagong Armoury Raid Leaders

The participants in the Chittagong Armoury Raid were members of the Indian Republican Army, who supported armed resistance as a means to attain India’s independence from British colonial rule. They were inspired by the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland and worked under the leadership of Masterda Surya Sen. Their ideology was primarily shaped by the Communists in the Soviet Union.

  • Leaders: The group included prominent members such as Ganesh Ghosh, Lokenath Bal, Ambika Chakrobarty, Harigopal Bal(Tegra), Ananta Singh, Anand Prasad Gupta, Pritilata Waddedar, and Kalpana Dutta.

Chittagong Armoury Raid Surya Sen

Surya Sen was a prominent Indian revolutionary who is remembered for his leadership in the Chittagong Armoury Raid of 1930. He was a school teacher by profession and was popularly known as Masterda Surya Sen. However, his commitment to India's independence led him to join the revolutionary movement. 

  • Surya Sen became the leader of the Indian Republican Army, the group that planned and executed the Chittagong armoury raid. 
  • Execution of Surya Sen: After the raid, Sen successfully evaded capture for several years before being arrested and hanged on January 12, 1934.

Chittagong Armoury Raid Aftermath 

Following the raid on 18 April 1930, the revolutionaries who participated in the attack on the Chittagong armoury, which was guarded by both police and auxiliary forces, fled to the Jalalabad Hills near Chittagong.

  • Surrounding of Revolutionaries: Around a thousand troops encircled the revolutionaries in the hills shortly after the raid.
  • Casualties: Over 80 revolutionaries, including Jiban Ghoshal, were killed during a police pursuit.
  • Arrest of Ganesh Ghosh: Captured while fleeing Chittagong by train and sentenced to death in January 1932.
  • Pritilata Waddedar’s Sacrifice: Wounded during an escape, she consumed cyanide to avoid capture.
  • Betrayal and Arrest of Surya Sen: Betrayed by confidant Netra Sen, Surya Sen was arrested on February 16, 1933.
  • Deportation to Andaman Islands: Revolutionaries like Ganesh Ghosh, Lokenath Bal, Ananda Gupta, and Ananta Singh were exiled to the Andamans.

Chittagong Armoury Raid Significance

While the Chittagong Armoury Raid failed to incite a widespread rebellion, it did manage to capture the imagination of the Indian people and inspire other acts of resistance against the British government. However, ithighlighted the strength and determination of the Indian independence movement.

  • British Response: Participants were executed, including Surya Sen, following their capture.
  • Impact on Nationalism: The brutal crackdown further fueled Indian nationalist sentiments.
  • Legacy of Sacrifice: Demonstrated the human cost of independence and the revolutionaries' willingness to die for the cause.

Chittagong Armoury Raid UPSC PYQs

Question1. Who among the following organized the famous Chittagong Armoury raid? (UPSC CSE 2001)

(a) Laxmi Sehgal 

(b) Surya Sen

(c) Batukeshwar Datta 

(d) J.M. Sengupta

Ans: ( b )

Chittagong Armoury Raid FAQs

Q1. Who planned the Chittagong Armoury Raid?

Ans. The Chittagong Armoury Raid was primarily planned by Surya Sen, who was a key leader of the Indian Republican Army. 

Q2. What happened in the Chittagong Armoury Raid?

Ans. During the raid, the police armoury was successfully captured by a group of revolutionaries led by Ganesh Ghosh while the Auxiliary Forces armoury was captured by the 10-member group led by Lokenath Bal.

Q3. Who was the woman involved in the Chittagong Armoury Raid?

Ans. The prominent woman involved in the Chittagong Armoury Raid was Pritilata Waddedar.

Q4. What was the aim of the Chittagong Armoury Raid?

Ans. The Chittagong Armoury Raid aimed to seize weapons from police and auxiliary forces, intending to spark a larger armed revolt against British colonial rule in India.

Q5. Who are the martyrs of the Chittagong Armoury Raid?

Ans. Masterda Surya Sen, Ganesh Ghosh, Lokenath Bal, Ambika Chakraborty, Anand Prasad Gupta, Pritilata Waddedar, and Kalpana Dutta.