Persons in News: Khudiram Bose
Context:
The Union Home Minister paid tribute to freedom fighter Khudiram Bose on his birth anniversary (December 3).
He honoured him as a symbol of valour and sacrifice who inspired the youth towards armed revolution.
Key Historical Facts:
He was born on December 3, 1889, in Habibpur village, Midnapore.
He lost his parents at age six and was raised by his sister
Revolutionary Journey:
He was influenced by the Swadeshi and Boycott movements (1905) against the Partition of Bengal.
He joined the secret revolutionary organization in Midnapore, recruited by Satyen Bose.
He also joined ‘Matrisadan’, a club for physical culture and patriotic training
In 1906, he was arrested for distributing the anti-British pamphlet Sonar Bangla but was later acquitted
The Muzaffarpur Conspiracy (1908):
The target was Douglas Kingsford, a judge who is known for harsh sentences such as flogging young revolutionaries like Sushil Sen.
On April 30, 1908, Khudiram and associate Prafulla Chaki threw a bomb at a carriage in Muzaffarpur, believing it carried Kingsford.
However, it killed two English women, Mrs. and Miss Kennedy
Aftermath:
Prafulla Chaki committed suicide to avoid arrest
Khudiram was arrested at Wyni railway station
Significance:
He was sentenced to death and hanged on August 11, 1908, at the age of 18
His martyrdom marked the onset of a new era in the Indian freedom movement, inspiring thousands of youths to join the struggle.