Rajguru, a middle-class Hindu Brahmin who emerged as one of the bravest freedom fighters of India was born on August 24, 1908. The gunman of Bhagat Singh’s party, Rajguru became popular after he was imprisoned for killing Saunders to avenge Lala Lajpat Rai’s death. He was hanged for the crime when he was only 22 years old.
In October 1928, Lala Lajpat Rai led a fraction of Indians who were opposing the Simon Commission, after which the British police launched a lathi charge. Lalaji was killed in the assault. Subsequently, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Bhagat Singh jointly killed Police Officer J.P Saunders, who was responsible for baton charge incident. After this event, the British administration was so terrified that the British Police were forced to launch a special operation to arrest the individuals, but later the revolutionaries were arrested by the British police.
They were hanged on 23 March 1931 and were cremated at the banks of the Sutlej River. At the time of their execution, Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev Thapar were just 23 years old while Shivaram Rajguru was only 22.
On his birth anniversary, here are some facts about Rajguru:
- Rajguru was born as Shivaram Hari Rajguru at Khed, near Pune.
- At Varanasi, he came in contact with Indian revolutionaries. Enthusiastic to contribute to the freedom struggle, he joined the movement and became an active member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA).
- He joined Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev, and took part in the murder of a British police officer, J P Saunders, at Lahore in 1928 to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.
- He believed that ferocity against oppression was far more effective against British rule and so, he joined the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army, who wanted India to be freed from British rule by any means necessary.
- He was tried under the provisions of a regulation that was introduced in 1930 specifically for that purpose.
