Anathbandhu Panja (29 October 1911 – 2 September 1933) was an Indian revolutionary and member of the Bengal Volunteers who carried out assassinations against British colonial officials in an attempt to secure Indian independence.[1]

Anathbandhu Panja
Born29 October 1911 (1911-10-29)
Jalabindu, Midnapore, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died2 September 1933 (1933-09-03) (aged 21)
Midnapore, Bengal Presidency, British India
OccupationRevolutionary
OrganizationBengal Volunteers
MovementIndian Freedom Movement

Early life

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Panja was born in a Mahishya family at Jalabindu Village in Sabang, Paschim Medinipur in 1911.[2] Surendra Nath Panja and Kumudini Devi were his parents.[3] He lost his father at the age of three and lived with his mother and elder brother.[4][5][6]He completed his early education from Bhuban Pal's Village Pathsala and then he went with his mother to Midnapore Town and got admitted in Sujaganj Primary School.[7][3] Subsequently, he was admitted to Midnapore Town School but he could not continue his studies due to his economic hardahips.[2][7] He joined Bengal Volunteers, a revolutionary organisation of British India and under the direction of the organisation he got admitted at the Midnapore Collegiate School.[8] At that time he was a member of ballavpur Jimnasiyam club.[9][10] He accompanied Nirmal Jibon Ghosh, Brajakishore Chakraborty, Mrigendra Dutta and Ramkrishna Roy to Calcutta to learn how to fire a pistol and subsequently returned to Midnapore to join the Indian independence movement.[5][6]

Revolutionary activities

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Statue of Panja

After the assassination of two previous District Magistrates James Peddy and Robert Douglas, no British officer was ready to take charge of Midnapore district. Bernard E. J. Burge,[11][12] a ruthless District Magistrate and former soldier, was posted to Midnapore. Members of the Bengal Volunteers, Ramkrishna Roy, Brajakishore Chakraborty, Prabhanshu Sekhar Pal, Kamakhya Charan Ghosh, Sonatan Roy, Nanda Dulal Singh, Sukumar Sen Gupta, Bijoy Krishna Ghose, Purnananda Sanyal, Manindra Nath Choudhury, Saroj Ranjan Das Kanungo, Santi Gopal Sen, Sailesh Chandra Ghose, Anath Bondhu Panja, Mrigendra Dutta and others decided to assassinate him.[5]

On 2 September 1933 Ghosh, along with Panja and Dutta, shot Burge dead during the half time of a football match when Burge was stepping from a car to take part in the game. Panja was killed instantly by a bodyguard,[6] the assassins were pursued by a Police Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent playing. Dutta was wounded and also died that day.[13][3]

A Special Tribunal under the Bengal Criminal Law Amendment, 1925, found the survivors guilty and sentenced them to death.[14][15][16] Nirmal Jiban Ghosh, Brajakishore Chakraborty and Ram Krishna Roy were all sentenced to death.[14][17][18][19] Bijoy Krishna Ghose, Purnanandu Sanyal, Manindra Nath Choudhury and Saroj Ranjan Das Kanungo were found not guilty of the charges against them.[14]

The rest of the accused: Santi Gopal Sen, Kamakhya Charan Ghosh, Sonatan Roy, Nanda Dulal Singh, Sukumar Sen Gupta, Prabhanshu Sekhar Pal, Sailesh Chandra Ghose were found guilty and were sent to Jail.[20][21][22][23]

Anath Bondhu Panja was acquitted of murder.[24]

Death

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Anathbandhu was killed instantly by the body guard of the District Magistrate on 2 September 1933.[25][26]

Legacy

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A school near his village is named after him as Harirhat Anath Smriti Girls' High School.[27] A statue of Panja was founded near Midnapore Collegiate School.

References

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  1. ^ "Anath Bandhu Panja". Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  2. ^ a b ".:: Legacy of Midnapore - Freedom Fighter - Anath Bandhu Panja ::". www.midnapore.in. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  3. ^ a b c Prohor. "শহিদ হওয়ার আগেই ইংরেজ জেলাশাসককে হত্যা, রক্তাক্ত মেদিনীপুরের ফুটবল মাঠ - Prohor". শহিদ হওয়ার আগেই ইংরেজ জেলাশাসককে হত্যা, রক্তাক্ত মেদিনীপুরের ফুটবল মাঠ - Prohor. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  4. ^ http://www.indiaculture.nic.in/sites/default/files/pdf/Martyrs_Vol_4_06_03_2019
  5. ^ a b c Desk, Digital (2021-10-29). "খেলার ছলে অত্যাচারি ম্যাজিস্ট্রেটকে মেরে মৃত্যুবরণ করেছিলেন এই বিপ্লবী". Kolkata24x7 | Latest Bengali News, News in Bangla, বাংলা নিউজ (in Bengali). Retrieved 2024-11-01. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ a b c Bharat, E. T. V. (2020-08-21). "গুলি করে পালিয়ে যাননি, অনাথবন্ধু চড়ে বসেছিলেন ইংরেজ অফিসারের বুকে". ETV Bharat News (in Bengali). Retrieved 2024-11-01.
  7. ^ a b Prohor. "শহিদ হওয়ার আগেই ইংরেজ জেলাশাসককে হত্যা, রক্তাক্ত মেদিনীপুরের ফুটবল মাঠ - Prohor". শহিদ হওয়ার আগেই ইংরেজ জেলাশাসককে হত্যা, রক্তাক্ত মেদিনীপুরের ফুটবল মাঠ - Prohor. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  8. ^ "-Bengal Volunteers of Midnapore". Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  9. ^ Ujjwal Kumar Singh (2009). Human Rights and Peace: Ideas, Laws, Institutions and Movements. SAGE Publishing India. ISBN 9789352801626.
  10. ^ Volume 9 (1990). Rammanohar Lohia. Deep & Deep Publications. ISBN 9788171002511.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Vol I, Subodhchandra Sengupta & Anjali Basu (2002). Sansad Bangali Charitavidhan (Bengali). Kolkata: Sahitya Sansad. p. 297. ISBN 81-85626-65-0.
  12. ^ "Historic Day". Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  13. ^ CHOPRA, P. N. WHO'S WHO OF INDIAN MARTYRS VOL.I. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 978-81-230-2180-5.
  14. ^ a b c "Assassination of Mr B. E. J. Burge, ICS District Magistrate". www.abhilekh-patal.in. Abhilekh Patal. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  15. ^ Madhumanti Sengupta (January 1, 2016). বেঙ্গল ভলান্টিয়ার. Kolkata: Ananda Publishers. ISBN 978-9389876772.
  16. ^ "Emperor Vs. Nirmal Jiban Ghose". www.the-laws.com. 30 August 1934. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  17. ^ Bengal Volunteers of Midnapore. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  18. ^ Durba Ghosh (20 July 2017). Gentlemanly Terrorists: Political Violence and the Colonial State in India. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107186668. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  19. ^ Srikrishan 'Sarala' (1999). Indian Revolutionaries 1757-1961 (Vol-4): A Comprehensive Study, 1757-1961. New Delhi: Ocean Books. ISBN 9788187100157.
  20. ^ "Midnapore Central Correctional Home". wbcorrectionalservices.gov.in. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  21. ^ Kali Charan Ghosh (2012). Chronological Dictionary of India's Independence. Kolkata: Sahitya Sansad. p. 87. ISBN 978-81-86806-20-3.
  22. ^ Bengal Volunteers of Midnapore. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  23. ^ Durba Ghosh (20 July 2017). Gentlemanly Terrorists: Political Violence and the Colonial State in India. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781107186668. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  24. ^ "Emperor vs Nirmal Jiban Ghose And Ors. on 30 August, 1934". Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  25. ^ Srikrishan 'Sarala' (1999). Indian Revolutionaries 1757-1961 (Vol-4): A Comprehensive Study, 1757-1961. New Delhi: Ocean Books. ISBN 9788187100157.
  26. ^ MADHUMANTI SENGUPTA (January 1, 2016). বেঙ্গল ভলান্টিয়ার. Kolkata: Ananda Publishers. ISBN 978-9389876772.
  27. ^ https://local.infobel.in/IN101851904-03222249203/harirhat_anath_smriti_girls_high_school-midnapore.html [dead link]