The early decades of the twentieth century witnessed an intensification of India’s freedom struggle, marked not only by constitutional movements but also by revolutionary actions born out of frustration with British colonial oppression. Bengal, in particular, emerged as a crucible of militant nationalism. Among the young revolutionaries who chose the path of armed resistance was Dinesh Chandra Gupta, whose role in the shooting of Inspector General of Prisons Colonel N. S. Simpson in Kolkata became a defining episode in India’s revolutionary history.
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| patriot Dinesh Gupta. en.wikipedia.org |
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| place of hanging Alipore jail, instagram.com |
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| Benoy, Badal,Dinesh, facebook.com |
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| Statues of Dinesh, Badal and Basu, Kolkata google.com |
Dinesh Chandra Gupta, born on 6 December 1911 in Munshiganj (now in Bangladesh), was drawn to the revolutionary movement while studying at Dhaka College. He joined the Bengal Volunteers, an organization inspired by Subhas Chandra Bose, which aimed to strike at symbols of British authority. Trained in the use of firearms at Midnapore, Dinesh became part of a daring plan to eliminate Simpson and thereby send a powerful message to the colonial administration. The local revolutionaries were responsible for the assassination of three District Magistrates in succession, Douglas, Burge, and Peddy.
On 8 December 1930, as planned before, Dinesh Gupta, along with Benoy Basu and Badal Gupta, entered the Writers’ Building in Dalhousie Square, the seat of British administration in Calcutta. Disguised in European attire, the trio located Simpson and shot him dead. A fierce gunfight followed, during which several British officers were injured. Determined not to be captured alive, Badal consumed cyanide, while Benoy and Dinesh shot themselves. Benoy later succumbed to his injuries, but Dinesh survived.
Captured and tried, Dinesh Gupta was sentenced to death. While imprisoned in Alipore Jail, he displayed remarkable courage and intellectual depth, translating a short story by Anton Chekhov and writing letters as many as 92 that reflected his unwavering patriotism. On 7 July 1931, at the age of nineteen, Dinesh was hanged, becoming a martyr for India’s freedom. The letters to his sister were later compiled into a book 'Ami Subhash Bolchi'.
All the three youths - Benoy, Badal, and Dinesh became martyrs in Bengal and other parts of India. After independence in August 1947, Dalhousie Square was named B.B.D. Bagh - after the Benoy-Badal-Dinesh trio. Further, to honor their bravery and in memory of their attack on the writers' building, Calcutta a plate was engraved in the wall of the building's first floor.
Kanailal Bhattacharjee., another patriot and freedom fighter became a vigilante and took revenge for the hanging by killing on 27 July 1931 Mr. Gerlick, the British judge who presided over the Simpson Murder case and who sentenced Dinesh to death. At the Alipore Central jail Dinesh did not keep quiet. He translated a short story of Anton Chekhov which was published in Prabasi Magazine.
Author: K. N. Jayaraman
(Revised January,14, 2026)
