In news– Year 2022 marks the completion of 100 years of the Chauri Chaura incident.
About Chauri Chaura incident-
- On 2 February 1922, volunteers participating in the Non-cooperation Movement led by a retired Army soldier named Bhagwan Ahir, protested against high food prices and liquor sale in the marketplace.
- The demonstrators were beaten back by the local police and several of the leaders were arrested and put in the lock-up at the Chauri Chaura police station.
- In response to this, a protest against the police was called on 4 February, to be held at the local marketplace.
- On 4 February, 1922, approximately 2,000 to 2,500 protesters assembled and began marching towards the market at Chauri Chaura.
- They had gathered to picket a liquor shop in the marketplace. Their leader was arrested, beaten and put in jail.
- Part of the crowd gathered in front of the local police station shouting slogans demanding the release of their leader.
- In an attempt to frighten and disperse the crowd, the police fired warning shots into the air. This only agitated the crowd who began to throw stones at the police.
- With the situation getting out of control, the Indian sub-inspector in charge ordered the police to open fire on the advancing crowd, killing three and wounding several others.
- In the ensuing chaos, the heavily outnumbered police fell back to the shelter of the police chowki while the angry mob advanced.
- Infuriated by the gunfire into their ranks, the crowd set the chowki ablaze, killing all of the Indian policemen and chaprassis (official messengers) trapped inside, resulting in deaths of three civilians and 23 policemen.
- The incident dealt a blow to the nonviolent noncooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, who denounced the violence in Chauri Chaura and called off a campaign of civil disobedience that he had been about to launch in Bardoli, Gujarat state.
- Suspension of the campaign angered Jawaharlal Nehru, Motilal Nehru and CR Das.
Source: PIB
