44 Freedom Fighters Were Shot Dead and put in a Graveyard at Andaman Islands

 

Prime Point Srinivasan seeking blessings from Gauri Shanker Pandey

Prem Shanker Pandey was one of the 44 members of Indian Independence League (IIL) martyred by Japanese Army on 30^th January 1944 without any trial and buried in a ‘L’ shaped pit at Andaman Islands.  Till now, these martyrs have not been declared as Freedom Fighters by the Government of India, though a monument has been erected and maintained by the UT Government to honour them.  Gauri Shanker Pandey (87), the only son of Prem Shanker Pandey (35), is the lone surviving eye witness for the happenings. PreSense team met him at his residence on 6^th January 2023. He recalled that sad episode from his memory.  He has also authored four books on the freedom movement in Andaman Islands. During the course of the conversation, while narrating the incident of his father’s arrest and killing, he became emotional on many occasions. Excerpts:

Why did Britishers leave the Island enabling Japanese Army to occupy?

More than 30,000 people were settled in the Islands, in what is known as ‘Indian Penal settlement’, by the British after the first war of Independence in 1857. During World War II, Britishers left this Island in mid-March leaving all the Penal Settlers alone. After the Britishers left, there was no Government till Japanese Army occupied the island on 23^rd March, 1942. Everybody was free to do whatever they wanted. At that time, the branch of Indian Independence League (IIL) was organized at Andaman in April 1942 under the President of Dr Diwan Singh. At the global level, Rash Behari Bose was heading the IIL.  In June 1942, Indian National Army (INA) was founded. Both the organisations were created to participate in the freedom struggle and they were anti-British. Ramakrishna and my father Prem Shanker Pandey, were the Joint Secretaries of IIL. The members of IIL visited all the villages in the Island and increased the membership. 

What led to the arrest of IIL and INA Members?

The IIL and INA, who were against British regime, were growing in the Island fast. This had created worries for British Government. Though the British had left the Island leaving behind all the penal settlers, they wanted to break IIL and INA. In January 1943, British sent spy agents to Andaman under the leadership of D.A.M. McCarthy, who was the Commander of Indian Military Police, during the British administration. Some of the Indian Military Police people had also joined Japanese Army as ‘spies of British Government’.  The messages sent by McCarthy were intercepted by Japanese forces and they got perplexed. Using this opportunity, the real spies working in the Japanese Army falsely implicated the members of IIL and INA as spies. The genuine freedom fighters were branded as spies.  Some of the Indian Military Police were the real culprits. 

How were they arrested? What happened thereafter?

Immediately Japanese Forces arrested the IIL Members.  In the first batch, 50 members were arrested and taken to Cellular Jail. They labelled the cases as first spy case, second spy case, etc. My father was arrested in the second group.

One Muthuswamy Naidu was arrested as the first person along with 49 others in the first group. He was tortured heavily to make him admit that he was a British Spy. He was placed on the table with his hands tied. Water was poured through his nose. He was forced to say that he was a British Spy. He refused to say this, in spite of all the tortures.  The water

Flogging stand – Prisoner would be tied to a stand and he would be beaten on the back side with whip

went into his lungs and he died due to the torture. All the other people were also tortured like this. The prisoners were tied to the flogging stand and they used to bring their respective wives naked before them and tied. The husbands were tortured before wives and vice versa. They violated all the international norms. All prohibited war crimes were perpetuated. All the arrested members of IIL denied spying.  There were even two or three lady members. Due to the torture many people died. 

On 30^th March 1943, Narayan Rao and six other leaders of IIL were shot dead and the bodies were handed over to their relatives. They were the people who initiated the establishment of IIL and INA at the Island. 

Why was your father arrested?

Dr Diwan Singh, President of the Indian Independence League (IIL) met the Governor and sought his intervention to mitigate the people’s misery.  He also represented him as to how genuine people were arrested and tortured. But it was of no use. The second group of members of IIL, including Dr Diwan Singh and my father were arrested on 27^th October 1943. In the spy cases, 630 people were arrested and tortured. Dr Diwan Singh was brutally tortured and died due to torture in the Cellular Jail. 

What were the types of tortures they used to give to freedom fighters?

The Japanese beat and tortured them with water treatment, electric shocks, hanging them upside down, and burning heaps of paper under their thighs and private parts. A very large number of them died, while some committed suicide and a few made false confessions to save their lives. They were taken to a far-flung place, killed and buried.

Dr Diwan Singh was brutally tortured for 82 days, a parallel of which is difficult to find in human history. He was hung by his hair from the ceiling. On other occasions, his ankles were tied to ceiling, water was pumped through his mouth and nostrils. He was tied to a table, his bones were crunched and was subjected to electric shocks. He died on January 14, 1944.

How was your father treated in the Jail?

I was a small boy of 6 years when my father was arrested and taken by Japanese forces.  I still remember that my grandmother, my mother and myself were crying when he was taken by the Police. My father was around 35 at that time. My mother was also arrested 6 times and kept in Cellular Jail.  Both were tortured heavily.  I was the only son and had four sisters.  Imagine the panic of the children when their parents were arrested and tortured in jail.  We were staying with our uncle due to this uncertainty. 

When did Netaji visit the Island?  Why Netaji was not informed?

Prem Shanker Pandey and his wife

He landed at the Island on 29^th December 1943.  INA gave him a Guard of Honour. He was received at the Airport by the IIL members and INA. He hoisted the Tricolour flag (the flag designed by the Congress then) at the Gymkhana Grounds on 30^th December, 1943. At that time National Song “Vande Mataram Sujalam Suphalam Malayaja Shitalam” was sung. Japanese forces did not allow any people to meet Netaji. He met the Governor and was immediately taken to Ross Island (now renamed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island). Nobody was allowed to go to the Ross Island. Japanese Army ensured that he was not given information about the arrest and torture of IIL and INA members. Ramakrishna, then President of IIL, handed over an amount of Rs.10000/- towards freedom struggle. Everybody contributed to the fund to Netaji. The descendants of these settlers had enough courage to fight against the British.  They formed the IIL and INA. 

On 31^st December 1943, the women’s wing of IIL organised a meeting to hear Netaji at the Headquarters of the IIL and the INA.  I remember I also attended the meeting with my mother and my grandmother.  I remember it was a big crowd and the hall was full.  The Women’s Wing presented Rs.5000/- and lot of jewels to Netaji for freedom movement. That was the spirit of our people. 

Coming back to your father in Cellular Jail, how was he martyred?

Freedom fighters lined up at Homfraygunj before they were shot by Japanese Army on 30th Jan 1944. Prem Shanker Pandey is third from right

On 28^th January 1944, our family was informed to come to Cellular Jail to meet our father.  They asked us to bring one shirt and eatables.  When we visited the Jail, I saw my father coming from the second gate with beard (Gauri Shanker Pandey paused for a moment here and broke down heavily.  After a long silence, he continued the conversation).  My mother, my grandmother and all the children were there.  That was the last time, we could see our father.  (broke down again and after a long silence continued).  My father spoke to my mother and my grandmother.  I do not remember anything further.  We handed over the shirt and the food item to the police officials there. 

On 29^th January 1944, we got the information from Japanese Authorities asking all the family members to assemble on the next day morning (30^th January) before the main entrance of Cellular Jail.  When we reached the Cellular Jail on 30^th January morning, we saw the relatives of some more prisoners also.  All the 44 prisoners were brought from inside the jail one by one and members of the families were marshalled on the road side.  My father Prem Shanker Pandey was the first to come out. I could see him from the distance of 15 or 20 feet but we were not allowed to go near him.  Three military trucks were parked. All the 44 prisoners boarded them one by one.  My father was the first to board.  On seeing us, my father shouted, “Take care of the family. We are going to be killed on the false charges. We are going to die for the nation to get freedom for our country and not as spies. Jai Hind”.  On seeing him shouting, one Army Officer hit him on his chest with the butt of his rifle and my father fell down (Gauri Shanker Pandey paused and wept).  After a long silence he continued: 

Martyred freedom fighters – Soldiers pushing the bodies in the ‘L’ shaped pit

All the  prisoners were shouting ‘Jai Hind’  and the family members started crying.  Out of this 44, three people could not walk.  They were carried in a gunny bag like a stretcher.   Nobody knew where they were being taken. I have seen all the 44 members being transported to an unknown place. It was a horrible experience.

On the next day, one Japanese Police came to our house and handed over a packet containing the shirt worn by my father.  This was the shirt given at the Cellular Jail by us on 28^th January when we met our father.   I only received the packet from the Police officer.  The shirt had a ‘bullet hole’ and lot of blood stain. (After a brief silence, he continued).  Only after seeing the shirt with blood and bullet holes, we realised that our father was killed.  

When did you get detailed information about the massacre of 44 IIL members?

Left: Balidan Vedi – Homfraygunj – The memorial erected in 1977 Right: ‘L’ shaped graveyard where martyrs were shot and buried

We came to know about the martyred place only later. Immediately after this incident, Netaji’s Azadi Government was formed. Then Chief Commissioner Colonel A.D. Loganathan visited Singapore reported to Netaji about this incident.  Netaji sent Japanese judges to investigate into the matter.  Due to the failure of Japanese intelligence and the Government, they could not locate the real culprits.  After the World War II, the Japanese surrendered to British forces. Again, Britishers occupied this Island on 7^th October, 1945.

We could visit Homfraygunj, where the 44 IIL members were martyred only after two years, when the Japanese forces left the Island.  All our family members went there in a truck, whose driver was the same person who drove the vehicle from Cellular Jail to Homfraygunj on that fateful day. The Japanese forces killed all the 44 IIL members and put them in a ‘L’ shaped graveyard.  As the only son of my father, I had to perform the rituals without the body or ashes.  

Are the family members of 44 martyrs are now connected?

All the family members of 44 martyrs got together to form a ‘Homfraygunj Martyrs Memorial Committee’ and I was the General Secretary of the Committee then. Now the third generation is leading it. Out of 44 families, 20 are in this Island and the others are in Mainland.  We constructed a memorial in 1978.  Every year on 30^th January, in a solemn ceremony, we assemble and pay homage to the Martyrs.  Now the UT Government is maintaining the Memorial. The Government has declared all the members of IIL, who were killed during the freedom movement as ‘Martyrs’.

We do not want anything. We only want the Government to declare all the 44 martyrs as ‘Freedom Fighters’.   I feel proud that I am the son of a freedom fighter who has sacrificed his life for the nation.

Jai Hind.  Bharat Mata ki Jai

Source: This article was published in January 2023 edition of PreSense