Trial and Execution of Bhagat Singh 1931

After the murder of Saunders, Bhagat Singh and others went underground. The Government enacted the Defense of India Act, which gave more power to Police such as preventive detention and admissibility of evidence which did not conform to the Indian Evidence act.

To protest against this act , Hindustan Socialist Republican Association conspired to explode a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly where the ordinance was to be passed. The idea was of Bhagat Singh and it was influenced by a similar bombing in the by anarchist Auguste Vaillant in the French Assembly who said”

“It takes loud noise to make the deaf hear”.

On 8 April 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb onto the corridors of the assembly and shouted “Inquilab Zindabad!”. After that they showered the leaflets stating that it takes a loud voice to make the deaf hear. The bomb was not intended to kill or injure any one. It was just to make noise. It was later proved by the forensics also that the bomb was not powerful to kill anybody. Bhagat Singh and Dutt surrendered themselves and were transported for life on June 12, 1929.

Meanwhile, in April Police discovered the Lahore Bomb Factory, followed by arrest of other members of HSRA. Out of them 7 became informants and they helped the British to solve the mystery of JP Saunders Murder and Bhagat Singh was connected to that Lahore Conspiracy. The trial began with charges of murder on Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev.

• During the trial, Bhagat Singh and others launched hunger strike for the rights of under trials and prisoners.
• After 64 days strike, Jatin Das, one of the under trials died on September 13, 1929.
• It ended the strike and Bhagat Singh demands were accepted by the Jail authorities.

  In May 1930, an ordinance was passed by Lord Irwin declaring an emergency. The Lahore Conspiracy Case was shifted from the court of an Indian Judge to special Tribunal of three Judges which was given the power to proceed with the case in the absence of the accused and accept death of the persons giving evidence as a benefit to the defense.

  The Tribunal was also the highest court of appeal. The tribunal gave its verdict on 7 October 1930, Bhagat Singh, Sukh Dev and Raj guru were given Capital Punishment in the Lahore Conspiracy Case.

  The other members of HSRA wished to free them by attacking on the prison. This was to be done by exploding bombs in the jails which had to be prepared by Bhagawathi Charan Vora. But the unlucky bomb maker died while making bombs when one of the bombs exploded.

• Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged in Lahore on March 23, 1931.