Jallianwala Bagh massacre

In 1919, opposition to the Rowlatt Act and British restrictions on political activity led to unrest in Punjab. Amritsar was among the centres of protest. On 13 April, the festival of Baisakhi, a large crowd gathered in the enclosed garden known as Jallianwala Bagh. Accounts describe a mix of people, including those attending the festival and people assembled for a meeting despite restrictions on public gatherings.

Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer led troops into the Bagh and ordered them to fire on the crowd. People tried to escape through the limited exits. The firing killed and wounded many people. The exact death toll is contested: the official inquiry figure reported by the UK House of Commons Library is 379, while some other contemporary estimates were higher. The Indian Culture Portal recounts competing estimates, so no single figure should be presented as settled.

The Disorders Inquiry Committee, commonly called the Hunter Commission, investigated the events in Punjab. The commission censured Dyer for his actions, and he was later required to resign his military appointment. The British response, as well as the violence itself, became a lasting subject of political debate. The massacre sharply damaged relations between Indians and the colonial government.

The massacre became a significant turning point in India’s struggle for independence. It strengthened opposition to British rule and contributed to Mahatma Gandhi’s fuller commitment to Indian nationalism and independence. The site at Jallianwala Bagh was later commemorated as a national memorial; the Government of India established a memorial there in 1951.