The mystery surrounding the pistol associated with Indian revolutionary Bhagat Singh remains a topic of intrigue and speculation. The weapon, a.32 Colt automatic pistol, played a crucial role in Singh's arrest and subsequent trial, but its origins are shrouded in uncertainty.
Chandra Shekhar Azad, a prominent figure in the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), is often linked to the pistol. Known for his affinity for firearms, Azad is believed to have supplied weapons to revolutionaries. Revolutionary and writer Manmathnath Gupta recounts an incident where Azad accidentally fired a Mauser pistol, narrowly missing Gupta's head. Azad's own weapon of choice was a.32 Colt pistol, famously named “Bamtul Bukhara.”
The.32 Colt pistol's journey to Bhagat Singh is pieced together through various accounts, including Jai Gopal's approver statement in the Lahore Conspiracy Case. Azad acquired a suitcase containing firearms on the day of Lala Lajpat Rai's death. The suitcase held a Mauser pistol, revolvers, a knife, and bullets, which were later distributed among the revolutionaries, including Bhagat Singh.
Despite these accounts, the exact path the pistol took remains unclear. Some historians have mistakenly identified the weapon as a Mauser or a Belgian revolver, though the.32 Colt was the gun presented at Singh's trial. The pistol's American origin raises questions about how it was procured amid British security measures in India.
One theory traces the pistol's origins to the Rodda arms heist of 1914, where revolutionaries in Kolkata seized 50 Mauser pistols and thousands of cartridges. These weapons were distributed among revolutionary groups in Bengal and used in numerous acts of violence. Amitabha Gupta, a heritage researcher, suggests that one of these Mausers was passed to Sachindra Nath Sanyal, a key figure in the Hindustan Republican Association, which counted Azad among its members.
Another account suggests that Vaidya Sh. Muktinarayan Shukla, a Jaipur-based pharmacist, facilitated the trade of arms to revolutionaries. Shukla allegedly acquired weapons from army officers and sold them to revolutionaries. He claimed to have obtained the pistol Azad used in his final battle from Ganga Singh, a former commander-in-chief of Alwar Estate.
Further complicating the narrative, Phanindra Nath Ghosh is said to have arranged a revolver for Bhagat Singh for planned dacoities in Bihar, although this plan was never executed. The fate of this revolver remains unknown.
While the origins of the.32 Colt pistol remain elusive, its significance is undeniable. The weapon was instrumental in linking Bhagat Singh to the Central Assembly bombing case, leading to Singh's arrest on April 8, 1929. The pistol's legacy endures as a symbol of the revolutionary fervor that characterized India's struggle for independence.
