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| Saheed Udham Singh |
The day 31st July is well remembered for Martyr Saheed Udham Singh who took part in revolution during independence. Udham Singh was born to Sher Singh in Sunam village near Sangrur. After his fathers death he was admitted to an Orphanage in Amritsar. During 1919, when a huge number of protesters were arrested under Rowlett Act, people formed a union and gathered in Jaliyanwalla Bag against British rule for the arrest of innocent people. During the same time Michael O Dwyer was Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. British Government came to know about the protest and on the same day of 13 April, 1919 General Dyer ordered Michael O Dwyer to shoot on protesters. British Army killed hundreds of innocent people. This act of evil was noticed through out the nation and set the country in sadness.
Udham Singh was strongly affected with this incident and joined the revolutionary group along with Saheed Bhagat Singh. He used to collect Arms, ammunition and weapons, however later he was arrested to keep unlicensed weapons. Sardar Udham Singh took part in many revolutionary acts. Later he was escaped from Kashmir and reached Germany. He came to London where he started working as an Engineer. His plan was very straight in his mind to assassinate Dyer. However, Sardar Udham Singh was confused with the names of Michael O Dwyer and General Dyer. On 13 Mar 1940, when Dwyer was in middle of his speech, Sardar Udham Singh came forward and shot Dwyer. He died on spot and Udham Singh got arrested.
Later, a diary was found from Sardaer Udham Singh where he spelt Dyer wrongly as Dwyer which makes a confusion. When Udham Singh was asked he revealed the story Jaliyanwallan Bag. Sardar Udham Singh told he was happy that he will be hanged as he was dying for country. On 31st July 1940 Sardar Udham Singh was hanged.
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