FEBRUARY 15 TO BE COMMEMORATED AS BIHAR SHAHIDDIWAS.

Why in news?

• Recently, Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar announced that, February 15 would now be commemorated as “ShahidDiwas”.
• February 15 would be commemorated as ShahidDiwas, in the honour of 34 freedom fighters who were killed by police 90 years ago, in Tarapur town in Munger district of Bihar.
• These freedom fighters had never got their due, even though this was the biggest massacre carried out by the British police after JallianwalaBagh in 1919 in Amritsar.

About Tarapur Massacre

• This incident took place on February 15, 1932, when a group of young freedom fighters had planned to hoist “Indian national flag” at Thana Bhavan in Tarapur.
• Police were not aware of their plan but several officers were present at the spot. During this, police carried out a brutal lathi charge on them. Despite the lathi charge, one of the freedom fighters (Gopal Singh) succeeded in raising the flag at Thana Bhavan.
• A strong crowd of 4,000 pelted the police with stones, in which an officer of civil administration was injured. In response, police opened indiscriminate fire on the crowd. Around 75 rounds were fired, after which 34 bodies were found at the spot.