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guru. He loved to sing political songs. After staying for some months
               in Kashmir, Udham Singh left India.



               He  reached  England  by  the  mid-thirties.  He  was  looking  for  an
               opportunity  to  avenge  the  Jallianwala  Bagh  tragedy.  Udham  Singh

               had created a book with a carved out shape of the revolver to fit
               his pistol in it. He got his moment on March 13, 1940. A meeting was

               scheduled  between  the  East  India  Association  and  Royal  Central
               Asian Society in London.  He dressed up elegantly, carried his book

               and  entered  the  meeting.  On  that  day,  at  4.30  p.m.  in  the  Caxton

               Hall, London, Udham Singh fired five-six shots from his pistol at Sir
               Michael  O’Dwyer,  who  was  governor  of  the  Punjab  when  the

               Amritsar massacre took place. O’Dwyer was hit twice and fell to the

               ground  dead  and  Lord  Zetland,  the  Secretary  of  State  for  India,
               who was presiding over the meeting, was injured.


               Udham Singh was overpowered with a smoking revolver in his hand.

               He  made  no  attempt  to  escape  and  continued  saying  that  he  had

               done  his  duty  by  his  country.  On  April  1,  1940,  Udham  Singh  was
               formally charged with the murder of Sir Michael O’Dwyer. On June

               4, 1940, he was tried in the court and sentenced to death. On July
               31, 1940, Udham Singh was hanged in Pentonville Prison in London.



               Shaheed  Udham  Singh  was  a  man  of  action  and  great  courage.  He
               had a sense of humor. He called himself a guest of His Majesty King

               George. He looked upon  death as a bride he was going to wed.  He
               remained  cheerful  to  the  last  minute  and  went  joyfully  to  the

               gallows just like his hero Bhagat Singh had done.


               During the trial, Udham Singh had made a request that his ashes be

               sent back to his country, but this was not allowed. In 1975, however,
               the  Government  of  India  finally  succeeded  in  bringing  his  ashes

               home. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the occasion to






               Sikh History and Gurmat Sikhia Book 6             2020 Edition                  Page 42
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