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1947 Amritsar train massacre
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| 1947 Amritsar train massacre | |
|---|---|
 Muslim refugees boarding a train in September 1947, similar to those involved in the massacre, with the intent of fleeing India. | |
| Location | Amritsar |
| Date | September 22nd 1947 |
| Target | Muslims |
Attack type | Massacre |
| Deaths | 3000 |
| Perpetrators | Sikhs |
The 1947 Amritsar train massacre was an attack on Indian refugees. It killed 3000 Muslims and wounded a further 1000.[1]
This massacre is one of many on trains carrying refugees that happened during the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition, which saw the transport of around 4 million refugees.[2]
Incident[edit]
On Monday September 22, 1947, a train was leaving 30 miles east from Amritsar and was attacked by Sikhs. This attack was stopped. However, when the same train arrived at Amritsar, it was faced with crowds of armed Sikh people who opened fire on it from both sides of the track.[1]
Trains carrying Sikh troops did pass by during the massacre, but they did not intervene. Only a few troop trains were left by Sikhs to join the massacre.[1]
Hindu Jats saved many Muslims although were killed in the process of trying to fight against the Sikh Jathas.[1]
The officer of the train was left alone to fend for the passengers. He reportedly shot back at the raiders with a machine gun he possessed until it ran out of ammo. He was killed soon after losing such ammo. It has been reported that he was killed by his own Sikh men.[1]
Men, women and children were attacked by Sikhs who swept through the train. The weapons used by Sikhs during this attack included swords and spears along with rifles carried by ex-servicemen. This slaughter lasted for approximately three hours.[1]
On Tuesday September 23, 1947, the train involved in the attack was returned to its platform.[1]
Effects[edit]
The West Punjab Government announced other attacks that happened during the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition. This included the attack of a refugee train in Kamoke carrying Sikh-Hindu passengers around 25 miles west of Lahore on Wednesday September 24, 1947. This attack was responsible for a further 340 deaths of both Sikhs and Hindus and wounded a further 250.[1]
Meetings within the Indian Cabinet to stop further attacks were called on Thursday the 25th as reported by the Associated Press of Great Britain. Military spokesmen reported on the mounting tensions in the Punjab and the serious attacks on refugee trains and convoys.[1]
References[edit]
- Kaur, Navdip (2011). "VIOLENCE AND MIGRATION: A STUDY OF KILLING IN THE TRAINS DURING THE PARTITION OF PUNJAB IN 1947". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 72: 947–954. ISSN 2249-1937.