April 13, 1919, a day meant for celebrating the spring harvest, was turned into one of the darkest days in Indian history by the malevolent British Raj. It was the day of Baisakhi, and thousands of people had come from different parts of Punjab to visit the Sri Harmandir Sahib. More than 10,000 people ^[1] had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, right next to the Sri Harmandir Sahib. Most of these people had entered the Jallianwala Bagh after worshipping at the Sri Harmandir Sahib. A peaceful protest was also taking place at Jallianwala Bagh, where people had gathered to voice their concerns against the recent atrocities committed by the British in Amritsar. This is when British troops under the diabolical command of Reginald Dyer, wielding .303 Lee-Enfield bolt-action rifles, lined up near the northern gate of Jallianwala Bagh.

Reginald Dyer deployed 25 soldiers to his right and 25 to his left ^[2] on the high ground. He did not even consider giving a warning to the crowd to disperse, as he considered it unnecessary. ^[3]When he was asked what he did after he entered the Bagh? Reflecting his utter lunacy, Reginald Dyer replied, “I opened fire.” ^[4] The firing lasted for 10 excruciatingly long minutes. In total, 1,650 rounds of ammunition were fired. ^[5] The fire was not intended to scatter the crowd; rather, it was aimed at those attempting to flee. The soldiers had been commanded to inflict maximum casualties. Some soldiers also fired from a kneeling position, specifically targeting those people who were lying on the ground. This horrific British massacre in which thousands of innocent Indians were killed, and countless others were injured is known as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Through the recorded statements of the survivors in the evidence section of ‘The Congress Punjab Inquiry, 1919-1920,’ ^[6] this article reconstructs the sequence of events, revealing the horror, confusion, and chaos that engulfed the Jallianwala Bagh that fateful day.

The Jallianwala Bagh Minutes before the Bloodshed

In the late afternoon of April 13, 1919, the Jallianwala Bagh was alive with the bustle of Baisakhi, a festival that draws villagers from across Punjab. The Jallianwala Bagh was an open stretch of barren land, enclosed by the rear walls of nearby houses, forming an uneven quadrangle. Its main entrance was a narrow passage located on the northern side. Besides the main entrance, there were four or five other extremely narrow exits. Scattered trees stood on the southern and eastern edges, along with an old, crumbling samadhi or tomb with a dome in the south. On the eastern side, there was also a well and a stage. There was no shelter inside Jallianwala Bagh where people could take cover from the upcoming disaster.

Lala Karam Chand, Assistant Accountant at Patiala State Bank in Patiala, described seeing a “very large crowd,” people playing cards, children playing in the grass, and no sign of violence or weapons. People had gathered to listen to political speeches and share grievances about the Rowlatt Act. Lala Manohar Lal, resident of Saraikala, District Rawalpindi, recalled, “The first resolution was that the Rowlatt Act be repealed, and the second resolution was that the firing on the 10th of April be condemned, and sympathy be expressed with the relatives of the dead. When the resolution was put to the meeting, I saw an aeroplane hovering over the place.”

Many, like Sardar Har Bhajan Singh, a resident of Chowl Moni, Amritsar, and Lala Kishori Lal, a resident of Lachmansar, Amritsar, noted that the crowd included Jats, Sikhs, and villagers who had come from far-off places like Peshawar and Rawalpindi, drawn by the Baisakhi fair. Moolchand, a resident of Katra Ahluwalian, Amritsar, also recounted seeing an aeroplane flying over the Bagh, possibly on a surveillance mission. He noted that the atmosphere was casual, even festive, but tinged with political purpose. Mr. Girdhari Lal, Deputy Chairman of the Punjab Chambers of Commerce from Chatiwind Gate in Amritsar, saw the British troops marching in a column. The British troops were followed by an armoured car and European officers. Sohan Lal, a resident of Chowk Phulanwala, Amritsar, said, “I saw soldiers entering the garden through the main passage. As the people were getting up to run away, Hans Raj shouted to them not to do so. He said, “The Government will never fire upon innocent men.” This assurance led many to stay put—a fatal mistake. Seth Gul Mohammad, a glassware merchant from Hall Bazar, Amritsar, remembered hesitating for a moment before choosing to flee.

The Moment Chaos Unfolded

The first signs of trouble came with shouts of “Agaye! Agaye!” as soldiers entered the garden. Witnesses like Wazir Ali, a resident of Chitta Katra, Lahori Gate, Amritsar, and Mian Abdul Aziz, a resident of Ghee Mandi, Amritsar, described people running towards the exits, only to be blocked by soldiers. Mian Abdul Aziz tried to flee but was beaten with rifle butts and pushed back. Aziz turned back and ran to the next smaller exit. As soon as he exited the garden, the first shot was fired.

Dr. Mani Ram, a dental surgeon from Amritsar, barely escaped and took shelter in a nearby stable. He witnessed the moments before the bullets began to fly inside the garden. He said, “…when the people heard the sound of the bullets, some of them lay down where they were, and others tried to run away but were killed or wounded. The firing was too close and continuous to allow anyone to escape, and the soldiers continued firing in the direction in which the crowd was running. There were short intervals in the firing when those who were lying on the ground tried to get on their feet but were at once fired upon.” There were no warnings given, as the sane British military officer had later mentioned in his court testimonies.

Ten Minutes of Ruthless Slaughter

The firing lasted around ten minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Lala Ratan Chand, a 17-year-old student of Khalsa College, Amritsar, tried to escape after the first volley of fire. While he was jumping over the wall on the east, the firing began again, and he was shot on his right forearm. Mian Mohammad Sharif, a resident of Katra Bhagh Singh, Amritsar, described being shot in his thigh while trying to climb the garden walls. The soldiers targeted the exits, causing piles of corpses near the gates. Sharif climbed on top of a fat man who was unable to climb up the wall. Sharif jumped over the wall and escaped, but those behind him were shot at the wall.

Wazir Ali was hit twice near the right eye and chest and later lost his right eye. Seth Laxmi Chand, a resident of Gali Lala Wali, Amritsar, tried to escape through a passage next to the well but found it blocked by about 150 corpses. He said, “I had to fall back. I then lay down on the ground but received a shot on my right ankle.” Lala Guran Ditta from the Namak Mandi, Amritsar, had also fallen on the ground to save himself. He could feel the bullets flying above him. Suddenly, about 20 soldiers started firing from a kneeling position at those who were lying on the ground. The idea must have been to target those who were not running or moving. Lala Guran Ditta, who was trying to hide behind the corpses, was hit on both of his legs.

Pratap Singh, a resident of Karmon Deori, Amritsar, talked about his horrific experience at the garden with his son. He said, “My son and I lay down at full length. Those who had war experience shouted out, “Lie down flat.” When the firing ceased, men who were lying flat got up and began to run. I ran also. When the men began to run, the shots began again. I lay down flat with my son. Then, for the second time, the shots ceased. Men began to run again, and I ran and got to the other side of the platform and fell flat there. There were quite a heap of bodies, and I was protected from the bullets by them. Then the firing was over, I got up and saw bodies on all sides and went towards the back of the garden. The bodies were so thick in the passage that I could not find my way out. I had my son with me, and men were rushing over the dead bodies. I took my son also over the dead bodies. In my opinion, there must have been nearly 2000 dead bodies in the garden.” Pratap Singh also remembered a horrifying moment when an officer scolded the troops for shooting too high. “Why are you firing so high? Fire low; for what else have you been brought here?” These were the words of a benevolent and righteous British officer, most likely Reginald Dyer. This changed the course of the shooting as bullets now found their marks in the fleeing and the fallen.

Lala Gian Chand, a resident of Chowk Pasian, Amritsar, escaped narrowly from the Bagh. He was saved by the bodies that fell on top of him. When the firing finally ceased after three successive volleys, he managed to leap over a wall. Seth Gul Mohammad climbed the wall near the well by stepping on the pile of dead bodies. Lala Karam Chand crawled into a broken trapdoor of a waterway to hide. Ghulam Mohamed, a resident of Katra Karam Singh, Amritsar, had bullets lodged in his jaw and shoulder. Bhai Ram Singh, a shop owner from Chowk Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, lost his hand. He recalled, “I ran towards the well and tried to jump over the wall near the gate on the well side. My right arm was raised, and I got shot on the back of my right hand.” Abdul Ahad from Kucha Calcuttian, Amritsar, suffered four gunshot wounds but managed to survive. Someone like Lala Manohar Lal was trampled while trying to escape.

Aftermath and Witness Accounts

Once the shooting stopped, the scene was pure carnage. Mr. Girdhari Lal observed the whole thing from the rooftop of a nearby house. He said, “The firing continued incessantly for about 10 to 15 minutes at least, without any perceptible break.” Out of the 12 to 15 thousand people present at the Bagh, hundreds were killed by the bullets that rained over them at all the narrow exits. Many got trampled under the feet of the rushing crowd and thus lost their lives. Several survivors recounted the fate of the well inside the Bagh. Nathi from Old Market of Amritsar saw many men “running and falling in the well in confusion.” It’s believed dozens died trying to jump in for cover. Lala Harilal Saran, a resident of Kucha Noorwala, Amritsar, was covered in the blood of people who had been shot.

A Calculated Massacre

Reginald Dyer admitted that he gave no prior warning before firing. His orders were very clear: shoot to kill. Dyer even admitted that had he been able to bring his armoured cars into the garden, he would have used them. He only stopped when the ammunition ran out. Witness after witness echoed that the bullets were not meant to disperse the crowd but to kill them. The exits were prime targets of the British troops under the command of Reginald Dyer. He didn’t discriminate on the basis of gender and age. Children, old men, and women—all were shot without discrimination. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was not merely an act of colonial cruelty; it was a turning point. The indiscriminate murder of innocent civilians united Indians across religious and regional lines. For many, this was the final blow that shattered faith in British justice.

References

^[1] Report of the Commissioners Appointed by the Punjab Sub-Committee of the Indian National Congress. The Congress Punjab Inquiry, 1919-1920. https://ir.nbu.ac.in/server/api/core/bitstreams/c611bd6b-152a-4e2c-8fe9-8c766c074af3/content
^[2] Ibid., p. 54.
^[3] Disorders Inquiry Committee, 1919-1920. Report. Calcutta Superintendent Government Printing, India, 1920. p. 44
^[4] Report of the Commissioners Appointed by the Punjab Sub-Committee of the Indian National Congress. The Congress Punjab Inquiry, 1919-1920. p. 55.
^[5] Ibid., p. 56.
^[6] Report of the Commissioners Appointed by The Punjab Sub-Committee of the Indian National Congress. Evidences. The Congress Punjab Inquiry, 1919-1920.

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