Compilation book of documents from Alipore Bomb Trial to be released on Jan 27

An engaging new book – titled 'Alipore Bomb Trial 1908-1910: A Compilation of Unpublished Documents (Volume I)' – will be released by Bengal governor

Keshari Nath Tripathi here on January 27.

Amiya Kumar Samanta, a retired IPS officer who served as former Director General of Intelligence Branch, has compiled, edited and written the introduction of the book, which chronicles one of the most important trials during the British Raj, involving Aurobindo Ghosh.

The Alipore Bomb Trial, or Manicktala Conspiracy case, occupies a significant position in the Indian freedom movement.

The killing of Mrs Kennedy and her daughter – who were mistakenly targeted in place of the former Chief Presidency magistrate of Calcutta DH Kingsford – by Khudiram Bose and Pradulla Chaki in 1908, and the subsequent arrest and death sentencing of Bose, led the police to believe that the incident was part of a larger conspiracy.

To confirm Chaki's involvment, he was beheaded by the British law enforcement officers and his head was brought to the city and paraded for other revolutionaries to identify. Soon, there were a series of bomb blasts in the city hich aroused the suspicion of the British officers.

Police began a massive manhunt and arrested Aurobindo Ghosh from 32 Muraripukur Road. His young brother Barindrakumar, Ullaskar Dutta and Upendranath Banerjee were also arrested.

The hitherto unpublished documents tell an engaging tale from India's freedom movement.

The book contains statements of all the 206 witnesses, along with 1575 documents and material evidences, placed before the court between May 2, 1908 and November 5, 1910.

The book will pique the interest of research scholars, students and the intelligentsia, along with people having more than a passing interest in the Indian freedom movement.

Chittaranjan Das appeared as lawyer for Aurobindo, who was released by Justice Beachcroft, the then District Judge of Alipore Court.

Incidentally, Beachcroft was a fellow ICS officer who served along with Ghosh. Beachcroft had scored the highest marks in Bengali when he gave the ICS examination.