Bhagat Singh
Seeking
revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, Singh murdered John Saunders, a
British police officer. He eluded efforts by the police to capture him. Soon
after, together with Batukeshwar Dutt, he and an accomplice threw two bombs and
leaflets inside the Central Legislative Assembly. The two men were arrested, as
they had planned. Held in jail on a charge of murder, he gained widespread
national support when he undertook a 116-day fast demanding equal rights for European
prisoners, and those Indians imprisoned for what he believed were political
reasons. During this period, sufficient evidence was brought against him for a
conviction in the Saunders case after trial by Special Tribunal, and an appeal
to the Privy Council in England. He was convicted and subsequently hanged for
his participation in the murder at the age of 23. His legacy prompted youth in
India to continue fighting for independence and he remains an influence on some
young people in modern India, as well as the inspiration for several films. He
is commemorated with a range of memorials including a large bronze statue in
the Parliament of India.



