04/06/2022
Chaphekar Brothers-Father of India’s revolutionary movement
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The Chaphekar Brothers, Damodar Hari Chaphekar (25 June 1869 – 18 April 1898), Balkrishna Hari Chaphekar (1873 – 12 May 1899, also called Bapurao) and Vasudeo Hari Chaphekar (1880 – 8 May 1899), also spelt Wasudeva or Wasudev, were Indian revolutionaries involved in assassinating W. C. Rand, the British Plague Commissioner of Pune, after the public of Pune was frustrated with the vandalism from the officers and soldiers appointed by him, in late 19th century. Mahadev Vinayak Ranade was also an accomplice in the assassination.
The Chaphekar brothers initially belonged to Chinchwad in the city of Pune, India. When the bubonic plague hit India in 1896-97, the government had set up a Special Plague Committee for managing the pandemic, whose commissioner was Walter Charles Rand, an Indian Civil Services officer.
Troops were brought in to deal with the emergency. Despite orders from the government to pay heed to religious sentiments, Rand appointed over 800 officers and soldiers - the measures employed included entry into private houses, stripping and examination of occupants (including women) by British officers in public, evacuation to hospitals and segregation camps and preventing movement from the city. Some of these officers also vandalized properties and religious symbols. These measures were considered oppressive by the populace of Pune and complaints were ignored by Rand. Thus, to put an end to the injustice borne by the people of Pune, the Chaphekar brothers shot Rand, and his military es**rt Lieutenant Ayerst, on 22 June 1897.
On 22 June 1897, Rand and his military es**rt Lt. Ayerst were shot while returning from the celebrations at Government House. Both died, Ayerst on the spot and Rand of his wounds on 3 July. The Chaphekar brothers and two accomplices (Mahadev Ranade and Shathe) were charged with the murders in various roles, as well as the shooting of two informants and an attempt to shoot a police officer. All three brothers were found guilty and hanged, an accomplice was dealt with similarly, and another, then a schoolboy, was sentenced to ten years' rigorous imprisonment.
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AAZADI KA AMRIT MAHOTSAV
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