Rich tributes paid to freedom fighter Bagha Jatin

Balasore: Rich tributes were today paid to legendary freedom fighter and revolutionary philosopher Jatindranath Mukherjee known as 'Bagha Jatin' who was shot dead by British Police on this day in 1915 at Chasakhand here.

A 41-member delegation of 'Rakta Tirtha Yatris' headed by Prabal Mukherjee and secretary of 'Sahid Smarak Samiti' Sujit Bhowmik from Kolkata, besides Odisha Assembly government chief whip Ananta Das and officials of Balasore district participated in a day-long programme here to commemorate the occasion.

Born in December of 1879 in Kushtia in modern day Bangladesh, Jatindranath Mukherjee was among the founder members of patriotic group Anushilan Samity in 1900.

He earned the sobriquet of Bagha for killing a tiger in his youth.

'Bagha Jatin', fell to bullets after he along with four co-patriots - Chittapriyo Roy Choudhury, Manoranjan Sengupta, Nirendra Dasgupta and Jyotish Pal - had an encounter with British Police at Chasakhand of this district on September 9.

Chittaprioyo died on the spot during the fierce gun battle, while 'Bagha Jatin' succumbed to bullet injuries the next day on September 10 at the then Balasore hospital, which is presently the Barabati Girls High School.

Nirendra and Manoranjan were put to the gallows in Balasore jail and Jyotish was imprisoned for life after trial.