Dinesh Gupta
Jul 11 2022 Indian fighters for freedom Dinesh GuptaDinesh Gupta was an ardent revolutionary from Bengal, who fought aggressively against the colonial rule. He was born in Josholong (Bangladesh) on 6th December, 1911. He lived only till the tender age of 19 but his patriotic activities during this short life earned him an indelible place in the hearts of his countrymen and women.
Early years that shaped him as a freedom fighter
Subhash Chandra Bose had formed a group called Bengal Volunteers. Dinesh Gupta became a member of this group in 1928 when the Calcutta session of INA (Indian National Congress) was going on. He was studying at Dhaka College at that time. Bengal Volunteers association slowly acquired a more active and aggressive nature and began to hatch plots for eliminating the repressive and ruthless British police officers.
This fiery revolutionary worked relentlessly in Midnapore to train young people in the art of using fire arms. His staunch dedication for the freedom struggle drew a large number of youths to the anti-British struggle. These young revolutionaries were being perfected in firing with the intention of killing 3 renowned district magistrates namely, Douglas, Burge and Peddy. These government officials were to be shot at one after the other.
Attack at the Writers’ building
Bengal Volunteers association put Colonel N.S. Simpson on their hit list. He was the Inspector General of Prisons and was notorious for his unspeakable maltreatment of prisoners. The members of the association realized that it would not be sufficient to murder this official for making their point.
Another extreme step was also needed to create stark terror in the minds of the colonial officers. Therefore, the revolutionaries planned to unleash an attack on the secretariat building. Hence, the Writers’ building in the Dalhousie Square, Kolkata too became the revolutionaries’ target now.
The date of the fateful attack on the Writers’ building was 8th December, 1930. Dinesh Gupta, Badal Gupta and Benoy Basu entered the edifice in disguise. The trio was wearing European clothes for staying inconspicuous in the crowd. They fired shots at Col. Simpson successfully, who was present on one of the balconies, and killed him.
The police opened fire at them immediately in retaliation. The whole place reverberated with the sound of gun shots for some time. During this crossfire, few officers like Nelson, Twynam and Prentice were badly hurt.
Sentenced to death and a martyr was born
The courageous trio could not keep fighting for long and were outnumbered. For avoiding an arrest, Badal Gupta consumed potassium cyanide. Benoy Basu and Dinesh Gupta shot themselves; while the former died in hospital, the latter survived the suicide attempt.
He was tried and given a death sentence. On 7th July, 1931, he was hanged to death. Thus, this brave heart laid down his life in an attempt to free his country from the shackles of the devastating British rule. The profound sacrifice that Dinesh Gupta made for his motherland is truly venerable.
In order to immortalize his contribution (along with that of his two associates) to the Indian freedom struggle, Dalhousie Square was rechristened as BBD (Binoy Badal Dinesh) Bagh.