New Delhi: Freedom fighter Udham Singh’s revolver, which was used to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919, may never return to India.
According to a Times of India report, Udham Singh’s revolver is still in custody of Metropolitan Police, UK.
The United Kingdom had declined to return the belongings of the martyr to Punjab government.
In a communique sent in 2004, the UK Govt had maintained that Singh’s diaries, cobbler knife, revolver and ammunition were part of evidence so they can’t be returned to India.
This was revealed in an RTI reply by the Union Ministry of External Affairs in September 2016.
Today is the 77th death anniversary of Udham Singh.
Replying to the RTI activist Jatinder Jain on September 26, 2016, the Europe west division of the MEA said a communication from the Government of UK had made it clear that Udham Singh’s belongings were in the possession of Metropolitan Police, London.
On March 13, 1940, Udham Singh had killed Michael O’ Dwyer – during whose tenure as the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab the Jallianawala Bagh Massacre took place – with the said revolver at Caxton Hall, London.
He was hanged on July 31, 1940, at Pentonville prison for the assassination.
Every year on Udham Singh’s death anniversary, authorities make promises to get back the belongings of Udham Singh from the UK.
Udham Singh was born in Sunam town, Punjab, on December 26, 1899.
Interestingly, revolutionary Bhagat Singh’s pistol has reached Hussainiwala border museum in Ferozepur.
Bureau Report
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