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Binoy, Badal and Dinesh: Epitome of Valour

Writer's Buildings / Image Credit

Showing exemplary courage three Bengali revolutionaries – Benoy Krishna Basu, Badal Gupta, and Dinesh Chandra Gupta - barged into the historic Writer's Buildings in Calcutta on 8th December 1930 and shot dead the then Bengal's IG (Prisons) Lt Col N S Simpson who was notorious for his atrocities and physical torture of Indian freedom fighters. In the gun battle that ensued the trio seriously wounded several European high officials.

Members of the Bengal Volunteers, a group set up by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress in 1928, these revolutionaries had worn western suits to gain access to the Writer's Building, the seat of the government of undivided Bengal. 

Refusing to surrender to the British, Badal Gupta immediately took potassium cyanide and died instantly, while Benoy and Dinesh shot themselves with their firearms. Benoy died in a hospital on December 13, 1930, while Dinesh survived. Dinesh was later hanged to death on 7 July 1931. Later Kanailal Bhattacharjee avenged the death of Dinesh by killing the judge who had sentenced the latter to death. 

Earlier Lowman, the Inspector General of Police, was shot dead by Benoy Basu in August in 1930. Lowman was known for his brutal oppression of the prisoners.  

Dinesh Gupta was born in 1911 while Benoy Basu was born in 1908 and Badal Gupta was born in 1912.  

The area where Writer's Buildings is located is known as BBD (Benoy, Badal Dinesh) Bagh in honour of the trio. Earlier the area was named Dalhousie Square.

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