The Alipore Bomb Trial

The Preliminary Enquiry

Muraripukar Garden

The following First Information Report was filed by Inspector P.C. Biswas before Mr. L. Birley, District Magistrate on the 19^th May 1908:-

FIRST INFORMATION REPORT

In course of the investigation of the Narayangarh train wrecking case, Midnapur, which occurred on the morning of the 6^th December last, a clue was obtained of the existence of a secret society working with its head quarters at various places in Calcutta. The information thus received was followed up and a number of officers detailed to watch 1 its operations in plain clothes. The following are some of the important places where its members used to conspire together against the lives of the rulers of the country with a view to overawe the Imperial and the Provincial Governments in India by means of criminal force or show of criminal force to secure independence of their country.

1. 1. 32 Muraripukur Road (Garden house) which is the joint property of Arabinda Ghose, Barindra Ghose and their two brothers Monomohan Ghose and Benoy Ghose.

1. 2. 23 Scott's Lane where Arabinda Ghose, Barindra Ghose and their friends Abinash Chandra Bhattacharji and Sailendra Bose used to mess together.

   3. 38-4 Raja Nava Kissen Street where explosives were prepared by accused Hem Chandra Das.

   4. 15 Gopi Mohan Dutt's Lane where some of the explosives were stored and manufactured by the members of this society.

   5. 4 Harrison Road where the “Yugantar” book shop has been started.

   6. 30-2 Harrison Road where the members of this society used to congregate from time to time in view of carrying on correspondence with its other members working or employed at other places.

   7. 134 Harrison Road where some of the explosives and ammunitions were stored.

   8. “Navasakti” Office,48 Grey Street, where Arabinda Ghose, his brother Barindra Ghose and their friends Abinash Chandra Bhattacharjee and Sailendra Bose removed to on the 30^th April last.

      On the 1^st instant information was received of the bomb outrage at Mozzafferpur necessitating immediate action and warrants were taken out for simultaneous house searches in Calcutta.

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On the 2^nd instant at 5 P.M. The searches commenced at different centres and arrests were made with the results noted below:

1. 1. All the Muraripukur Road garden centre 18 persons were arrested. Their names are :―

      1. Barindra Kumar Ghose

      1. 2. Indu Bhusan Rai of Khulna

         3. Ullaskar Dutt of Tippera

         4. Upendra Nath Banerjee of Chandernagore

         5. Shisir Kumar Ghose of Jessore

         6. Nalini Kumar Gupta of Faridpur

         7. Sachindra Kumar Sen of Dacca

         8. Poresh Chandra Maulik of Jessore

         9. Kunja Lal Shaha of Nadia

         10. Bejoy Kumar Nag of Khulna

         11. Norendra Nath Bakshi of Rajshahi

         12. Purna Chandra Sen of Midnapur

         13. Hemendra Nath Ghosh of Jessore

         14. Bibhuti Bhusan Sirkar of Nadia

         15. Nidhi Uria of Cuttack

         16. Panu Uria of Cuttack

         17. Sachindra Nath Chatterjee of Calcutta

         18. Indu Bhusan Bose of Calcutta.

The last four have subsequently been released on bail.

Voluminous correspondence, explosives, guns, rifles, revolvers, dynamite and articles used in the manufacture of explosives were recovered from the garden house, from the grounds of the house and buried under-ground as per list enclosed. Some of the under-ground hiding places were pointed out by the accused Baindra Kumar Ghose.

2. At 38-4 Raja Nava Kissen Street accused Hem Chandra Das was arrested and a quantity of incriminating correspondence was seized together with other articles as per list enclosed.

3. At 15 Gopi Mohan Dutt's Lane accused Kanai Lal Dutt of Hoogly and Nirapodo Rai of Nadia were arrested with a quantity of correspondence and other papers as per list enclosed.

4. At 30-2 Harrison Road some papers were found and taken possession of vide list enclosed.

5. At 134 Harrison Road Nogendra Nath Gupta of Dacca, his Brother Nalini Gupta of Dacca, Asoke Chandra Nandy of Comilla,

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Bejoy Sen Gupta of Burdwan and Motilal Bose of Jessore, were arrested with a quantity of bombs, dynamite, cartridges and other explosives as per list enclosed. It may be noted that, there is evidence to show that these articles were removed to this place by the accused Ullaskar Dutt from 15 Gopi Mohan Dutt's Lane. These six persons (including Ullaskar) have been placed under trial under Sections 19 (f) and 20 of Act. XII, Of 1878 (Arms Act.)

6. At the “Navasakti” Office were arrested accused Arabinda Ghose. Abinash Chandra Bhattacharjee and Sailendra Kumar Bose of 24-Pergannas. With them was found a quantity of incriminating correspondence as per list enclosed.

On 3-5-08, accused Din Dayal Bose of 24-Perganas was arrested at No.80 Collage Street where a quantity of correspondence was found and seized as per list enclosed.

On 5-5-08, accused Narendra Nath Gossain of Serampur, Hoogly, was arrested at that place with lots of papers, cartridges, buck-shot and caps as per list enclosed.

On 10-5-08, accused Sudhir Sirkar of Khulna and Hrishikesh Kanjilal of Hoogly were arrested at their homes with some papers and correspondence.

Of the persons thus arrested , the following have confessed.

1. Upendra Nath Kumar Ghose to the existence of the secret society and his being a member of it.

2. Barindra Kumar Ghose to the above fact and also to his participation in the preparation for derailing His Honor's special between Mankundu and Chandernagore Railway Stations, the Narayangarh derailment case in December last, the French Chandernagore Bomb outrage case in April last and to the abetment of the Muzafferpur murder case, on 30-4-08.

3. Indu Bhusan Rai to the existence of the secret society and to his participation in the French Chandernagore bomb outrage case.

4. Bibhuti Bhusan Sirkar tot he existence of the secret society and to his complicity in the preparation for derailing His Honor's special between Chandernagore and Mankundu Railway Stations and to his participation in the Midnapur train wrecking case.

5. Ullaskar Dutt to the existence of the secret society, to his complicity in the attempt at derailing His Honor's special near Chandernagore Railway Station at or about the last Dewali, preparation for the same during the last winter between Chandernagore and Mankundu Railway Stations and to the abetment of the Narayangarh train wrecking case, the French Chandernagore bomb outrage case and the Mozafferpur murder case.

6. Noren Gossian to the existence of the secret society and his

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participation in the attempt at wrecking His Honor's special near Chandernagore Railway Station at or about the last Dewali and to his complicity in the French Chandernagore bomb outrage case.

7. Hrishikesh Kanjilal to his being a member of the secret society and his participation in the attempt at wrecking His Honor's special near Chandernagore Railway Station.

8. Sudhi Kumar Sirkar to his being a member of the secret society.

   From the above it will appear that altogether five cases occurred as the outcome of the conspiracy of this society. These cases are:―

   1. Attempt at wrecking His Honor's special train between Mankundu and Chandernagore Railway Stations at or about the last Dewali. Accused Ullaskar Dutt, Hrishikesh Kanjilal and Noren Gossain who took part in it, are under arrest. They have all confessed to their participation in it.

   2. Preparation for blowing up His Honor's special between Mankundu and Chandernagore Railway Stations during the last winter. Accused Barindra Kumar Ghose, Bibhuti Bhushan Sirkar and Ullashkar Dutt who were concerned in it and have confessed to their share of the job, are under arrest.

   3. Attempt at wrecking His Honor's special near Narayangarh Railway Station in Midnapur on 6-12-07. Accused Barindra Kumar Ghose, Bibhuti Bhusan Sirkar and Profulla Chaki who actually laid the mine and accused Ullaskar Dutt who manufactured it, are under arrest, excepting Profulla who committed suicide after the Mozafferpur murder case.

   4. The French Chandernagore bomb outrage case on 11-4-08. In it were concerned Barindra Kumar Ghose, Narendra Gossain, Indu Bhusan Rai who have all confessed. The bomb used in this case was the handiwork of accused Hem Chandra Das and Ullaskar Dutt of whom the latter has confessed. There were two other persons of French Chandernagore concerned in this case.

   5. Mozafferpur murder case on 30-4-08. The bomb made use of in this case was the handiwork of Hen Ch.Das and Ullaskar Dutt. Ullas has confessed to this fact. This plot was organised by accused Barindra Kumar Ghose who has confessed to his complicity in the crime. Of the two persons actually concerned in the murder of Mrs. and Miss.Kennedy, namely Khudhiram of Midnapur and Profulla Chaki of Bogra, the former has been arrested and confessed, and the latter committed suicide when an attempt of arresting him was being made.

On 12-5-08, Kristo Jiban Sanyal of Maldash and on 14-5-08,

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Birendra Nath Ghose of Jessore were arrested. Both of them confessed to being members of the secret society.

On 13-5-08, accused Soroj Kumar Mazumdar of Jessore was arrested. He has since been enlarged on bail.

In consideration of facts already disclosed, I submit this First Information Report, charging the members of this Secret Society under Sections 143,145,150,157,121,121-A,122,123 and 124I.P.C.

Sd. Purna Chandra Biswas,

Inspector of Police,

C.I.D., Bengal.

17-5-08.

Along with the first Information Report the following complaint together with the sanction required by Section 196Cr.P.Code were also filed:―

Purna Chandra Biswas, Inspector of Police,

C.I.D.,Bengal on solemn affirmation.

Sanction has been given to me by the Government of Bengal (the sanction Ex. I is here tendered by the prosecution)to prosecute certain persons under Sections 121-A,122,123,124I.P.C.

I now complain against―

1. Barendra Kumar Ghose

2. Indu Bhusan Rai

3. Ullaskar Dutt

4. Upendra Nath Banerji

5. Sishir Kumar Ghose

6. Nalini Kumar Gupta

7. Sachindra Kumar Sen

8. Poresh Chandra Maullik

9. Kunja Lal Saha

10. Bijoy Kumar Nag

11. Narendra Nath Buxi

12. Purna Chandra Sen

13. Hemendra Nath Ghose Bibhuti Bhushan Sarkar

14. Bibhuti Bhushan Sarkar

15. Nirapada Rai

16. Kanai Lal Dutt

17. Hem Chandra Das

18. Arabinda Ghose

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19. Abinash Chandra Bhattacharji

20. Sailendra Nath Bose

21. Dindayal Bose

22. Narendra Nath Gossain

23. Sudhir Kumar Sarkar

24. Krista Jiban Sanyal

25. Hrishikesh Kanjilal

26. Birendra Nath Ghose

27. Dharani Nath Gupta

28. Nogendra Nath Gupta

29. Asoke Chandra Nandi

30. Moti Lal Ghose

31. Bijoy Ratan Sen Gupta

32. Susil Kumar Sen

33. Khudi Rtam Bose

Accused 1 to 14 were arrested on May 2 at 32 Muraripukur Road, and arms, ammunition, explosives were found there.

Accused 15 and 16 were arrested at 16 Gopi Mohan Dutt's Lane on May 2, 1908, correspondence was found there, I do not know what sort, accused 17 Hem Chandra Das was arrested at 38-4 Raja Naba Krista St; letters and other things were found there.

Accused 21 was arrested at Shambazar Tram Depot on May 3,1908.

Accused 22 was arrested at Serampore on May 5.

Accused 23 was arrested at Khulna on May 10.

Accused 24 was arrested at Kanshat,Dist.Maldah on May 12.

Accused 25 was arrested at Chatra, I do not remember the date.

Accused 26 was arrested in Jessore District.

Accused 27 to 31 were arrested at 134 Harrison Road on May 2, 1908, there were found three bombs and dynamite and other explosives.

Accused 32 has been arrested recently at Sylhet, a telegram has been sent for him.

Accused 33 was arrested at Waini on May 1, and is, at Mozafferpur under trial for murdering 2 English ladies.

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These people are all accused of organizing a gang for the purpose of waging war against the Government by means of criminal force.

(Sd.) L.Birley,

19-5-08.