JAGAT SINGH

JAGAT SINGH alias Jai Singh (1883-1915), a leading Ghadr revolutionary, was born about 1883, the son of Arur Singh, at Sursirigh, a village in Lahore (now Amritsar) district. He was a hefty, sturdy man and joined the Indian army when twenty. Leaving the army, he migrated to Shanghai and to Canada and settled in Vancouver where he found employment in a sawmill. There he was drawn into the Ghadr revolutionary movement. As the World War broke out in 1914, he returned to India by a Japanese ship with a view to joining the uprising against the British.

The Canadian authorities reported to the Indian government his revolutionary activities and charged him with the murder in Vancouver of Harnam Singh, a loyalist. In the Punjab, Jagat Singh became a close associate of Ghadr leaders, such as Kartar Singh Sarabha. He took part in the Chabba, Sahncval, and Mansurari dacoitics, looted money which was turned over to the revolutionary centre, and offered to sell his land for the cause. He also helped in the manufacture of bombs. He escaped arrest when the revolution was betrayed by a police spy, Kirpal Singh.

In company with Kartar Singh Sarabha and Harnam Singh Tundilat, Jagat Singh made his way to Kabul. They returned to the Punjab, determined to seize arms and free their imprisoned comrades. They were arrested, however, at Sargodha, where they were attempting to seduce the soldiers of the 22nd Cavalry to which Jagat Singh had once belonged. Tried in the first Lahore conspiracy case, Jagat Singh was sentenced to death. He was hanged on 16 November 1915 along with Kartar Singh Sarabha.

References :

1. Pini, Harish K., C,hadr Movement. Amritsar, 1983
2. Mohan, Kamlcsh, Militant Nationalism in the Punjab 1919-35. Delhi, 1985
3. Kchar Singh, Bhai, and Kirpal Singh, rds., Stmggle for Free Hindustan, vol. 1. Delhi, 1986
4. Jagjil Singh, Ghadr Parti Lahir. Dcllii, 1979