Benoy Basu

{{Benoy Badal Dinesh}}

{{Benoy Badal Dinesh}}

'''Benoy Krishna Basu''' ({{langx|bn|বিনয় কৃষ্ণ বসু}} ''Binôe Boshu''), '''Benoy Basu''', or '''Benoy Bose''' (11 September 1908 – 13 December 1930) was an Indian revolutionary against [[British Raj|British rule in India]], who launched an attack on the Secretariat Building; the [[Writers' Building]] at the [[B.B.D. Bagh|Dalhousie square]] in [[Kolkata]], along with [[Badal Gupta]] and [[Dinesh Gupta|Dinesh Chandra Gupta]].<ref name="bd"/><ref>https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19300908-1.2.20?qt=indian,%20outrage,%20police,%20inspector,%20shot&q=INDIAN%20OUTRAGE.%20-%20POLICE%20INSPECTOR%20SHOT</ref>

'''Benoy Krishna Basu''' ({{langx|bn|বিনয় কৃষ্ণ বসু}} ''Binôe Boshu''), '''Benoy Basu''', or '''Benoy Bose''' (11 September 1908 – 13 December 1930) , popularly known as Benoy Basu or Benoy Bose, was a prominent Indian revolutionary who played a key role in the armed struggle against British colonial rule. Born in [[Bikrampur]], [[Munshiganj District]] (now in [[Bangladesh]]), he was the son of engineer Rebatimohan Basu. Benoy became actively involved in the [[Indian freedom movement]] as a member of the [[Bengal Volunteers]].

On 8 December 1930, along with [[Badal Gupta]] and [[Dinesh Gupta]], Benoy carried out a daring armed attack on the [[Writers' Building]] in [[Dalhousie Square]], [[Calcutta]], the administrative nerve centre of British Bengal. Disguised in European attire, the trio entered the building and assassinated Colonel N.S. Simpson, the Inspector General of Prisons, notorious for torturing political prisoners. A gun battle ensued with British officers, resulting in multiple injuries. Refusing to be captured, Badal consumed cyanide, while Benoy and Dinesh shot themselves with their revolvers. Benoy succumbed to his injuries soon after; Dinesh was captured alive and later hanged.

Their martyrdom became a symbol of youthful courage and resistance, and the trio are commemorated as national heroes. The [[B. B. D. Bagh]] area in Kolkata is named in their honour.<ref name="bd" /><ref>https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19300908-1.2.20?qt=indian,%20outrage,%20police,%20inspector,%20shot&q=INDIAN%20OUTRAGE.%20-%20POLICE%20INSPECTOR%20SHOT</ref>

==Early life==

==Early life==

On 3 September, a reward was announced for information leading to Binoy Basu’s capture. His description was provided: {{blockquote|"age 22 years, fair complexion, strong, short stature, pointed nose, hair black, normal eyes"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.301931/page/n117/mode/1up|title=Bharater Biplab Kahini Vol. 2, 3|first=Hemendranath|last=Dasgupta|date=26 May 1948|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=1930-12-15 |title=CALCUTTA TRAGEDY. |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19301215-1.2.58?qt=lowman,%20dead&q=Lowman%20dead |website=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942) |page=11}}</ref>

On 3 September, a reward was announced for information leading to Binoy Basu’s capture. His description was provided: {{blockquote|"age 22 years, fair complexion, strong, short stature, pointed nose, hair black, normal eyes"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.301931/page/n117/mode/1up|title=Bharater Biplab Kahini Vol. 2, 3|first=Hemendranath|last=Dasgupta|date=26 May 1948|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=1930-12-15 |title=CALCUTTA TRAGEDY. |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/singfreepressb19301215-1.2.58?qt=lowman,%20dead&q=Lowman%20dead |website=The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942) |page=11}}</ref>

== The Elusive Escape ==

== The Escape from Dhaka ==

Meanwhile Benoy fled from the scene and took shelter at his comrade in arms Manikrishna Sen's house at Bakshi bazar. The British launched an extensive manhunt for Benoy, but he proved elusive. His escape from Dhaka to [[Narayanganj]] and beyond is a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of the [[Bengal Volunteers]]. Disguised as a rural Muslim, clad in a tattered lungi and dirty vest, Benoy, along with comrade in arms [[Supati Roy]], a veteran revolutionary who helped in procuring arms for the murder of Lowman, navigated through a landscape fraught with danger. The relentless rain and flooded streets added to the challenges, yet they pressed on, determined to evade capture.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1930-08-30 |title=DACCA OUTRAGE. |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19300830-1.2.55 |website=The Straits Times |page=11}}</ref>

Meanwhile Benoy fled from the scene and took shelter at his comrade in arms Manikrishna Sen's house at Bakshi bazar. The British launched an extensive manhunt for Benoy, but he proved elusive. His escape from Dhaka to [[Narayanganj]] and beyond is a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of the [[Bengal Volunteers]]. Disguised as a rural Muslim, clad in a tattered lungi and dirty vest, Benoy, along with comrade in arms [[Supati Roy]], a veteran revolutionary who helped in procuring arms for the murder of Lowman, navigated through a landscape fraught with danger. The relentless rain and flooded streets added to the challenges, yet they pressed on, determined to evade capture.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1930-08-30 |title=DACCA OUTRAGE. |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19300830-1.2.55 |website=The Straits Times |page=11}}</ref>

Meanwhile, the Bengal Volunteers maintained secret bases at 7 Walliullah Lane and a two-story house on [[Park Street, Kolkata]]. The ground floor housed the chambers of Dr. Animesh Ray and Dr. Himangshu Banerjee, while the upper floor sheltered top revolutionaries, including action squad members [[Nikunja Sen]] and Supati Ray. Dinesh Gupta and Badal Gupta were kept there as a precaution, ready for the next mission.<ref>{{Cite web |last=harinayak |date=2020-12-13 |title=पुण्य स्मृति: पुलिस उच्चाधिकारियों को मार आत्माहुति दी बिनॉय कृष्ण बसु ने |url=https://www.harinayak.in/binoy-krishna-basu-secrifice-after-murdered-two-britishers/ |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=Harinayak |language=en-US}}</ref>

Meanwhile, the Bengal Volunteers maintained secret bases at 7 Walliullah Lane and a two-story house on [[Park Street, Kolkata]]. The ground floor housed the chambers of Dr. Animesh Ray and Dr. Himangshu Banerjee, while the upper floor sheltered top revolutionaries, including action squad members [[Nikunja Sen]] and Supati Ray. Dinesh Gupta and Badal Gupta were kept there as a precaution, ready for the next mission.<ref>{{Cite web |last=harinayak |date=2020-12-13 |title=पुण्य स्मृति: पुलिस उच्चाधिकारियों को मार आत्माहुति दी बिनॉय कृष्ण बसु ने |url=https://www.harinayak.in/binoy-krishna-basu-secrifice-after-murdered-two-britishers/ |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=Harinayak |language=en-US}}</ref>

== The Writers’ Building Attack: A Masterstroke ==

== The Writers’ Building Attack: A Revolutionary Masterstroke ==

Binoy’s evasion was not merely about survival; it was a prelude to a bolder mission. The Bengal Volunteers, incensed by the atrocities committed by Colonel N.S. Simpson, the Inspector General of Prisons, planned a direct assault on the heart of British administration—the [[Writers' Building]] in Kolkata (now Mahakaran in B.B.D. Bagh). Simpson was infamous for his brutal treatment of political prisoners, including [[Subhas Chandra Bose]], whose torture in [[Alipore jail]] fuelled the revolutionaries’ resolve.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1930-12-10 |title=CALCUTTA OUTRAGE SEQUEL. |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19301210-1.2.52?qt=simpson,%20shot,%20dead&q=simpson%20shot%20dead |website=The Straits Times |page=11}}</ref>

Binoy’s evasion was not merely about survival; it was a prelude to a bolder mission. The Bengal Volunteers, incensed by the atrocities committed by Colonel N.S. Simpson, the Inspector General of Prisons, planned a direct assault on the heart of British administration—the [[Writers' Building]] in Kolkata (now Mahakaran in B.B.D. Bagh). Simpson was infamous for his brutal treatment of political prisoners, including [[Subhas Chandra Bose]], whose torture in [[Alipore jail]] fuelled the revolutionaries’ resolve.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1930-12-10 |title=CALCUTTA OUTRAGE SEQUEL. |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19301210-1.2.52?qt=simpson,%20shot,%20dead&q=simpson%20shot%20dead |website=The Straits Times |page=11}}</ref>

On 7 July 1931, Dinesh was hanged at Alipore Central Jail. On that day, a hartal (strike) was observed in central Kolkata.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rakshit-ray |first=Bhupendrakishor |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.357038 |title=Biplab-tirthe Ed.1st |date=1953}}</ref>

On 7 July 1931, Dinesh was hanged at Alipore Central Jail. On that day, a hartal (strike) was observed in central Kolkata.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rakshit-ray |first=Bhupendrakishor |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.357038 |title=Biplab-tirthe Ed.1st |date=1953}}</ref>

==Significance==

==Significance & legacy==

After [[Partition of India|independence]], the Dalhousie Square was named [[B. B. D. Bagh]] - after the Benoy-Badal-Dinesh trio.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-21 |title=Bengali movie '8/12 Binay Badal Dinesh' to have its TV premiere |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/bengali/bengali-movie-8/12-binay-badal-dinesh-to-have-its-tv-premiere/articleshow/91705581.cms |access-date=2023-12-09 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> In memory of their Writers' Building attack, a plate was engraved in the wall of the Writers' Building, on the first floor.<ref>{{cite sign |date=1980-12-08 |script-title= bn:৮ ই ডিসেম্বর, ১৯৩০ মৃত্যুঞ্জয়ী শহীদ |trans-title=8 December 1930 Martyred |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Memory_of_martyrdom.jpg |type=Plaque on first floor |location=Writers' Building, Calcutta |publisher=Ministery of Works |access-date =2023-12-09}}</ref>

After [[Partition of India|independence]], the Dalhousie Square was named [[B. B. D. Bagh]] - after the Benoy-Badal-Dinesh trio.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-21 |title=Bengali movie '8/12 Binay Badal Dinesh' to have its TV premiere |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/bengali/bengali-movie-8/12-binay-badal-dinesh-to-have-its-tv-premiere/articleshow/91705581.cms |access-date=2023-12-09 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> In memory of their Writers' Building attack, a plate was engraved in the wall of the Writers' Building, on the first floor.<ref>{{cite sign |date=1980-12-08 |script-title= bn:৮ ই ডিসেম্বর, ১৯৩০ মৃত্যুঞ্জয়ী শহীদ |trans-title=8 December 1930 Martyred |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Memory_of_martyrdom.jpg |type=Plaque on first floor |location=Writers' Building, Calcutta |publisher=Ministery of Works |access-date =2023-12-09}}</ref>