Image: Gandhi during his final period in Delhi. Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January 1948 while walking to his evening prayer meeting at Birla House in New Delhi.
The immediate aftermath
News of Gandhi’s death spread rapidly across India. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the nation by radio, informing people that Gandhi had died.
The investigation
The assassination resulted in a major criminal investigation and prosecution. Nathuram Godse was identified as the assassin and was subsequently tried in the Gandhi assassination case.
The trial and convictions
The Red Fort trial resulted in convictions for several accused persons. Godse and Narayan Apte were sentenced to death and executed in November 1949. Other accused persons received different sentences, while Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence.
Why the historical record matters
The assassination should be studied through court records, contemporary government documents and Gandhi’s own writings rather than only later retellings.
A final chapter in Gandhi’s public life
Gandhi’s assassination came less than six months after independence and amid the continuing aftermath of Partition. His final political efforts had centred heavily on communal peace.
The Gandhi Heritage Portal records 30 January 1948 in its chronology and preserves material from Gandhi’s final days. citeturn0search0turn0search4
See NewsNationOnline’s Gandhi’s last day feature.
आपके लिए सुझाव
