A path-breaking finding on Shaheed Bhagat Singh.
Historians and Researchers on Shaheed Bhagat Singh have finally got something to cheer. The Tribune has found traces about the missing pistol used by the great freedom fighter to kill a British Police official John Sanders. The whereabouts of the pistol were not known since 1930. Anyone who can throw some further light (please contact me 9872999203; Jupinderjit Singh, Special Correspondent, The Tribune. Chandigarh)
Bhagat Singh’s pistol was last seen in Phillaur 47 yrs ago Records show it was transferred to Indore, historians ask govt to trace it
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 7
Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s pistol with which he killed Assistant Police Superintendent John Saunders in Lahore on December 17, 1928, was last seen at the Punjab Police Academy (PPA), Phillaur, on October 7, 1969.
The automatic .32 bore pistol of Colt US make with butt no. 460-m and body no. 168896, was transferred to the Central School of Weapon and Tactics (CSWT) of the BSF in Indore the same day. However, CSWT officials said the pistol was not exhibited in their museum.
Earlier in its four-part series, The Tribune highlighted that researcher Aparna Vaidik had, through a rare access to case files of the martyr, found that the weapon was missing. Based on the record of 160 files lying at Punjab State Archives in Lahore, she said the weapon could be either at Lahore Fort, police malkhana, Gwalmandi, Lahore, or the PPA, Phillaur.
On its pursuit, The Tribune found the records related to the weapon. As per a record register of the PPA, it was among the eight weapons transferred to the CSWT on October 7, 1969. Kuldip Singh, Director, PPA, said no reason had been given for the transfer of the weapon. “Eight weapons, including the martyr’s pistol, were taken to CSWT, Indore, by a BSF commandant as per our records.”
With the latest discovery, it is now known that the weapon was in India at least in 1969. Earlier, as per the records, the weapon was given to DSP (CID) NK Niaaz Ahmad Khan in Lahore on October 16, 1930. Assistant Commandant Vijay Roy, CSWT, said no such weapon was displayed in their museum at present. “We don’t have it there, but we will look into the records. It might have been transferred to another museum,” he said. Meanwhile, historians have termed it an important discovery.
Gurdev Singh Sidhu, who has also authored a book on the martyr, said:
“The revelation is an important discovery. We at least know that the pistol was in India and is within our reach somewhere. The Punjab Government should make efforts to trace it..” “If the pistol reached Phillaur, then the other exhibits must also be brought here,” said Harish Jain, Chandigarh-based publisher and researcher on Bhagat Singh.
first published : November 7, 2016 .. The Tribune.
Historians and Researchers on Shaheed Bhagat Singh have finally got something to cheer. The Tribune has found traces about the missing pistol used by the great freedom fighter to kill a British Police official John Sanders. The whereabouts of the pistol were not known since 1930. Anyone who can throw some further light (please contact me 9872999203; Jupinderjit Singh, Special Correspondent, The Tribune. Chandigarh)
Bhagat Singh’s pistol was last seen in Phillaur 47 yrs ago Records show it was transferred to Indore, historians ask govt to trace it
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 7
Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s pistol with which he killed Assistant Police Superintendent John Saunders in Lahore on December 17, 1928, was last seen at the Punjab Police Academy (PPA), Phillaur, on October 7, 1969.
The automatic .32 bore pistol of Colt US make with butt no. 460-m and body no. 168896, was transferred to the Central School of Weapon and Tactics (CSWT) of the BSF in Indore the same day. However, CSWT officials said the pistol was not exhibited in their museum.
Earlier in its four-part series, The Tribune highlighted that researcher Aparna Vaidik had, through a rare access to case files of the martyr, found that the weapon was missing. Based on the record of 160 files lying at Punjab State Archives in Lahore, she said the weapon could be either at Lahore Fort, police malkhana, Gwalmandi, Lahore, or the PPA, Phillaur.
On its pursuit, The Tribune found the records related to the weapon. As per a record register of the PPA, it was among the eight weapons transferred to the CSWT on October 7, 1969. Kuldip Singh, Director, PPA, said no reason had been given for the transfer of the weapon. “Eight weapons, including the martyr’s pistol, were taken to CSWT, Indore, by a BSF commandant as per our records.”
With the latest discovery, it is now known that the weapon was in India at least in 1969. Earlier, as per the records, the weapon was given to DSP (CID) NK Niaaz Ahmad Khan in Lahore on October 16, 1930. Assistant Commandant Vijay Roy, CSWT, said no such weapon was displayed in their museum at present. “We don’t have it there, but we will look into the records. It might have been transferred to another museum,” he said. Meanwhile, historians have termed it an important discovery.
Gurdev Singh Sidhu, who has also authored a book on the martyr, said:
“The revelation is an important discovery. We at least know that the pistol was in India and is within our reach somewhere. The Punjab Government should make efforts to trace it..” “If the pistol reached Phillaur, then the other exhibits must also be brought here,” said Harish Jain, Chandigarh-based publisher and researcher on Bhagat Singh.
first published : November 7, 2016 .. The Tribune.
