Chittagong Armoury Raid

The Chittagong Armoury Raid of April 18, 1930, stands as one of the most daring armed uprisings in the history of the Indian national movement. Organised in the southeastern port town of Chittagong (now in Bangladesh), the action aimed to paralyze the British colonial administration, seize government armouries, cut off communication networks, and proclaim an independent revolutionary republic. Following the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922 and the subsequent death of C.R. Das in 1925, radical nationalist youth in Bengal sought active resistance against British rule. The raid was timed to coincide with the broader Civil Disobedience Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi, though the revolutionaries employed armed insurrection instead of non-violent civil resistance.

The Mastermind and Key Leadership

Surya Sen, affectionately known as “Master Da,” was a schoolteacher at the National High School in Chittagong and the President of the Chittagong District Congress Committee. He served as the chief strategist and supreme commander of the uprising.

Key Revolutionaries and Assigned Roles

• Surya Sen (Master Da): Supreme Commander who conceptualized the entire operation and declared the Provisional Revolutionary Government.
• Ananta Singh and Ganesh Ghosh: Key organizers responsible for tactical planning, weapons procurement, and leading the assault on the Police Armoury.
• Lokenath Bal: Led the raid on the Auxiliary Force India (AFI) Armoury at Pahartali.
• Nirmal Sen and Ambika Chakrabarti: Managed operational logistics, communication disruptions, and field units.
• Pritilata Wadedar: Key operative who later led the attack on the Pahartali European Club in September 1932.
• Kalpana Datta: Specialist in manufacturing explosives, transporting arms, and maintaining intelligence networks.

Execution of the Raid and Action Plan

On the night of April 18, 1930, coinciding with Good Friday, six tailored groups totaling around 65 revolutionaries launched a simultaneous, coordinated strike across Chittagong.

Core Operational Targets

• Police Armoury Assault: Ananta Singh and Ganesh Ghosh led a group that captured the District Police Armoury at Dampara, seizing rifles and revolvers.
• Auxiliary Force Armoury Attack: Lokenath Bal led the capture of the Auxiliary Force India armoury, securing heavier weaponry like Lewis guns and carbines.
• Telegraph and Telephone Disruption: A specialized unit cut telegraph wires, severed telephone lines, and destroyed the central switchboard, isolating Chittagong from the rest of the Bengal Presidency.
• Railway Track Sabotage: Revolutionaries derailed a train at Dhoom, severing rail links between Chittagong and Dhaka.
• Proclamation of Independence: Outside the Police Armoury, Surya Sen hoisted the National Flag, took a formal military salute from the Indian Republican Army (IRA) cadre, and proclaimed a Provisional Revolutionary Government.

Despite capturing armouries, the revolutionaries failed to locate ammunition for the heavy rifles, as the British stored cartridges separately from the firearms.

Battle of Jalalabad Hill and Colonial Retaliation

Realizing British reinforcements were approaching by sea and rail, Surya Sen ordered his troops to retreat into the Jalalabad Hills on the outskirts of Chittagong. On April 22, 1930, British troops encircled the Jalalabad Hills. A ferocious military encounter ensued between the IRA revolutionaries equipped with rifles and British troops armed with machine guns.

Key Casualties and Outcomes

• Revolutionary Martyrs: Twelve revolutionaries died in action on Jalalabad Hill, including Harigopal Bal (Tegra), Tripura Sen, Prabhas Baidya, and Nirmal Lala.
• Colonial Losses: Over 80 British soldiers and military police officers were killed during the battle.
• Guerrilla Warfare Shift: Facing superior firepower, Surya Sen divided the surviving group into small cells to conduct guerrilla attacks across local villages, supported by rural households.

Female Participation and Subsequent Revolutionary Actions

The Chittagong movement was notable for the active, leading participation of young women in direct armed action.

Key Operations and Female Revolutionaries

• Pahartali European Club Attack (September 24, 1932): Pritilata Wadedar led an armed attack on the European Club at Pahartali, which displayed a sign reading “Dog and Indians Not Allowed.” After injuring several British officers, she swallowed potassium cyanide to avoid arrest, becoming the first female martyr of the Chittagong movement.
• Kalpana Datta’s Resistance: Kalpana Datta worked continuously with Surya Sen, manufacturing guncotton explosives and transporting arms. She was arrested in May 1933 and sentenced to transportation for life.
• Comilla Magistrate Assassination (December 1931): Inspired by the Chittagong uprising, two high school students, Santi Ghose and Suniti Choudhury, shot dead Charles Stevens, the British District Magistrate of Comilla.

Arrest, Trial, and Execution of Surya Sen

The British administration deployed extensive intelligence networks and military cordons to track down the revolutionaries hiding in the countryside. In February 1933, British forces encircled Surya Sen at Gairala village following a betrayal by Netra Sen. After a firefight, police arrested Surya Sen and Tarakeswar Dastidar. In May 1933, Kalpana Datta was also captured.

Judicial Verdict and Execution

Surya Sen and Tarakeswar Dastidar were tried before a Special Tribunal, found guilty of waging war against the King-Emperor, and sentenced to death by hanging. Before his execution on January 12, 1934, inside Chittagong Jail, British prison guards subjected Surya Sen to brutal physical torture, breaking his teeth and joints. Authorities secretly dragged his unconscious body to the gallows and threw his remains into the Bay of Bengal to prevent public demonstrations.

Historical Facts Summary

The Chittagong revolutionaries operated under the banner of the Indian Republican Army (Chittagong Branch), inspired by the Irish Republican Army and the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland. In his final letter written to comrades on the eve of his execution, Surya Sen stated: “Never forget April 18, 1930, the day of the eastern rebellion… Preserve your enthusiasm. Long Live Revolution.” Anand Gupta, Subodh Roy, and Kalipada Chakravarthy were among the youngest participants in the raid, some barely 14 to 16 years old, who were subsequently sentenced to long terms in the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands. Pritilata Wadedar was a graduate of Bethune College in Calcutta and served as the Headmistress of the Nandankanan Aparnacharan School in Chittagong before joining Surya Sen’s underground unit. In 1932, revolutionary Baikuntha Shukla assassinated prosecution witness Phanindra Nath Ghosh in Bihar to avenge the betrayal of revolutionaries involved in the Lahore and Chittagong trials.