Unsung Heroes | History Corner | Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India

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Srijukta Bhogeswari Phukanani

Nagaon, Assam

September 04, 2023 to September 04, 2024

Srijukta Bhogeswari Phukanani was a resident of Barhampur, Nowgong. On September 18, 1942, the people of Barhampur captured the Shanti Sena camp and occupied it, and to celebrate the occasion, they arranged a feast. When people were taking their food, the military party appeared there. Pratap Chandra Sarma, B.L., who was present in this religious gathering, came out of it and explained the situation to V.H. Ruse, ICS, the Special Magistrate. Sarma told Ruse that the people would disperse after taking the prasad and that no use of force was needed to disperse them. Ruse then had some talk with the caption Finish, and Sarma expected all the while that everything would go smoothly. But the conciliatory move of Sarma was sharply reported with the immediate arrest of Sarma and eleven others, and they were removed some distance away in a military van. The military then began kicking the people left and right, and the sacred Prasad was trampled upon under the military boots. Seeing this huge assembly of people got me infuriated. They stood and began to shout Bande Mataram. Sarma was brought back to the place to pacify the crowd. In the meantime, hearing the shout of Bande Mataram, a number of the people from the neighboring village, including women, came to the field, headed by Srimati Ratnabala Phukan, carrying a Congress flag in her hand. Her mother, Srijukta Bhogeswari Phukanani, accompanied her. Srijukta Bhogeswari Phukanani participated in this procession against the military act, shouting Bande Mataram. The military party blocked their progress along the public path. Captain Finish attempted to snatch the Congress flag from the hands of Ratnabala but could only do so after a hard struggle. Saying that she would not allow the national flag to be dishonored, Ratnabala boldly came up to Caption Finish. Captain Finish and Captain Montgomery whipped out their revolvers from their pockets and began shooting at random, which resulted in the killing of Srijukta Bhogeswari Phukanani and others.

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