'Martyrs Will Never Be Forgotten': Gambhir Honors Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs
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New Delhi, April 13 (NationPress) Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of Team India, paid a heartfelt tribute on Monday to those who perished during the Jallianwala Bagh incident. The date, April 13, 2026, marks the 107th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, a profoundly significant and somber episode in India's quest for independence and autonomy.
Gambhir expressed his sentiments on 'X', stating, “Martyrs endure eternally! #JallianwalaBagh”
On this very day in 1919, the brutal actions executed by British colonial officials left an indelible mark on the Indian independence movement. This calamity served as a crucial wake-up call for the populace, revealing the harsh realities of foreign domination and irrevocably altering the trajectory of the struggle for liberation.
The tragedy transpired during the Baisakhi festival when thousands of defenseless men, women, and children congregated at Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh to commemorate the Sikh New Year. Unbeknownst to them, the British authorities had enforced Martial Law, prohibiting public gatherings and imposing strict curfews—this lack of communication culminated in a disastrous occurrence.
As thousands remained in the garden for the celebrations on April 13, 1919, Colonel Reginald Dyer, the Acting Brigadier, arrived with his troops and promptly ordered them to commence firing without any prior warning or opportunity for the crowd to disperse.
Dyer’s contingent, equipped with two armored vehicles armed with machine guns and Gurkha and Baluchi soldiers carrying Scinde rifles, relentlessly fired upon the crowd for a duration of 10 to 15 minutes. More than 1,650 rounds of ammunition were directed at innocent civilians.
Official reports later indicated 379 fatalities and approximately 1,200 injuries; however, the actual death toll is thought to exceed 1,000, with many more sustaining injuries.
This massacre unfolded at Jallianwala Bagh, a garden encircled on three sides by buildings. The only exit was congested with people, obstructing any possibility of escape. This appalling incident, often referred to as the Amritsar Massacre, represented a shocking act of brutality, signifying a pivotal moment in India's fight for independence.