“বিপদে মোরে রক্ষা করো, এ নহে মোর প্রার্থনা—

বিপদে আমি না যেন করি ভয়।”

My only prayer is: may I never fear danger."
— Dwijendralal Ray)

("Protect me in danger — that is not my prayer;

In the long and turbulent march toward India’s freedom, some names blaze only briefly—but burn forever. Birendranath Dutta Gupta was one such flame. At just nineteen years old, he walked into the heart of British authority—the Alipore Court compound—and fired the shot that echoed through the corridors of colonial repression. It was not hatred that moved his hand, but an unshakable idealism, born of the belief that his motherland must rise, unshackled and sovereign.

Born into poverty in the Dhaka District, Birendranath lacked access to formal education and opportunity. Yet destiny carried him to Calcutta, where he found purpose in the revolutionary underground. Inspired by Bagha Jatin, he joined the Jugantar party, dedicating his youth to a vision larger than life—an India free from foreign domination, built upon courage, sacrifice, and justice.

When police officer Maulavi Shamsul Alam intensified the crackdown on revolutionaries, Birendranath was chosen to strike—a decision that demanded not only nerve, but readiness to embrace martyrdom. Arrested on the spot and later hanged, he never wavered, even when tortured to betray his comrades.

This post remembers not just a young revolutionary, but a symbol of fearless patriotism—a boy who stood tall, acted boldly, and died so others could live free.

Birendranath Dutta Gupta

Birendranath Dutta Gupta

Shaheed Birendranath Dutta Gupta (1889–1910)

Born June 20, 1889
Bikrampur, Dhaka District, Bengal Presidency, British Raj

Died February 21, 1910 (aged 20)
Alipore Central Jail, Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British Raj

Cause of death Execution by hanging

Nationality Indian

Other names Biren

Alma mater Jalpaiguri District School, National School, Rangpur

Organization Jugantar

Known for Assassination of Deputy Superintendent Shamsul Alam, martyrdom at age of 20, association with Bagha Jatin and Jugantar group

Movement Indian independence movement

Criminal penalty Capital punishment

Parents Umacharan Dutta Gupta (father)
Basantakumari Devi (mother)

Relatives Dhirendra Dutta Gupta (brother)

Birendranath Dutta Gupta also known as Biren Dutta Gupta (Bengali: বীরেন্দ্রনাথ দত্তগুপ্ত) (20 June 1889 — 21 February 1910) Birendranath Dutta Gupta was a young and valiant revolutionary from the Dhaka District of Bengal Presidency. Born into poverty, his early life was marked by hardship and a lack of formal education. Much remains unknown about how he found his way to Calcutta or became involved in the underground struggle, yet despite this obscurity, he rose to become one of the youngest martyrs of India’s freedom movement.

Fired by the ideals of Bagha Jatin, Birendranath became a committed member of the Jugantar revolutionary party during the height of the Swadeshi movement. At the time, Maulavi Shamsul Alam, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was zealously investigating a far-reaching conspiracy against British rule, targeting patriots engaged in the so-called Swadeshi dacoities. Following the arrest of Lalitmohan Chakraborty in the Netra Dacoity case—who, under duress, named thirty-two fellow revolutionaries—Shamsul Alam emerged as a major obstacle to the revolutionary cause. The decision was made: he must be removed. And it was Birendranath, still in his teens, who was entrusted with this solemn task.

On 24 January 1910, Birendranath struck a bold blow for freedom by shooting Shamsul Alam dead within the premises of the Alipore Court. He was immediately captured. During the trial, the British police coerced a confession from him implicating Bagha Jatin, but this was later rejected by the Calcutta High Court as obtained under duress. Ultimately, Birendranath was sentenced to death and embraced martyrdom on 21 February 1910, at just 20 years old—laying down his life with unwavering resolve for the motherland’s liberation.

Early life and formative years

Birendranath Dutta Gupta was born on 20 June 1889 in Bikrampur, in the Dhaka District of the Bengal Presidency (present-day Bangladesh). He was the second child of Umacharan Dutta Gupta and Basantakumari Devi. Tragedy struck early in his life with the loss of his father during childhood, leaving his care and upbringing largely in the hands of his extended family.

He hailed from a Vaidya family, a caste known for its emphasis on education and social awareness—an environment that likely nurtured his early sensitivity to the injustices of colonial rule. After spending his childhood in Dhaka, Birendranath moved to Jalpaiguri, where he stayed at his sister’s home. There, he enrolled in the Jalpaiguri District School in 1908, progressing up to the Preparatory Class for the Entrance examination, a key milestone in the British-imposed educational framework.

Later, he shifted to Calcutta (now Kolkata)—a city then brimming with nationalist fervour and underground revolutionary activity. Initially staying with one of his elder brothers, Birendranath eventually moved, just a few months before his final act of defiance, to a student mess on Bechu Chatterji Street—a known hub of aspiring revolutionaries and politically awakened youth. It was here, amidst the charged atmosphere of Calcutta’s radical circles, that his destiny as a freedom fighter took shape.

Involvement in the revolutionary movement

Birendranath Dutta Gupta was drawn toward the flame of revolutionary ideals from a remarkably young age. His appearance—sharp-featured with piercing, determined eyes—mirrored the inner resolve that defined him. Though he was not known for towering intellectualism or political rhetoric, Biren epitomized the quiet, unwavering dedication that pulsed through the veins of countless young patriots who took up the cause of Indian independence.

In the charged political atmosphere of Bengal, he forged strong ties with seasoned revolutionaries from the old Anushilan Samiti, including Nalinikanta Kar, Chuni Dutta, Balai Ray (the nephew of renowned scientist Prafulla Chandra Ray), and Jnanendranath Mitra, among others. These associations were not mere friendships—they were bonds of shared purpose and sacrifice.

It was through Jnanendranath Mitra, a close confidant of the legendary Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin), that Biren was introduced to the inner circle of Bengal’s revolutionary underground. These tightly knit networks, particularly those linked to the Jugantar group, were engaged in courageous and clandestine operations against British rule—from arms training and secret meetings to targeted political assassinations. In joining their ranks, Biren stepped into the shadows with fire in his heart and freedom on his mind.

Revolutionary activities in 1909 and the Howrah Conspiracy Case

Escalation of revolutionary actions in Bengal

The year 1909 marked a dramatic surge in underground revolutionary activity across Bengal, driven with renewed zeal by members of the Jugantar group and allied nationalist circles. As part of a determined campaign to finance their operations and acquire arms, revolutionaries undertook a series of daring armed robberies across various districts—each act a defiant challenge to British authority:

In August 1909, revolutionaries seized over ₹1,000 from Nangla village in Habra, striking a blow for financial independence from the colonial system.
In September, another daring raid was carried out in Hogalbaria.
In October, a sum of ₹1,400 was successfully looted from Haludbari in the Nadia district.
By December, approximately ₹1,000 was recovered from a raid on Pragpur.

These acts were not mere robberies—they were revolutionary expropriations, meant to fund the freedom struggle. Alongside them came targeted political assassinations, intended as direct reprisals against agents of British oppression. The assassination of Ashutosh Biswas, the public prosecutor in the Alipore Bomb Case, in February 1909 by Charu Chandra Bose, and the killing of Nandlal Banerjee, a police official, in November 1909 by Srish Pal, were seen by revolutionaries as acts of retributive justice against a brutal colonial regime.

These bold actions provoked the wrath of the British administration, which responded with escalated surveillance, sweeping raids, and a crackdown aimed at destroying the growing revolutionary networks. But rather than silence the spirit of defiance, these efforts only deepened the resolve of those fighting for the liberation of the nation.

State Approver Lalit Chakravarty and CID operations

A turning point in the revolutionary struggle came in late 1909 with the arrest of Lalit Chakravarty (alias Beda), a young insurgent from Netra, Diamond Harbour. After participating in a series of armed expropriations for the cause, he had fled to Darjeeling, hoping to evade capture. But on 27 September 1909, the colonial police apprehended him. Following alleged torture and prolonged interrogation, Lalit made a fateful choice—he agreed to become an approver, turning state witness against his own comrades.

On 29 October 1909, Lalit delivered a detailed confession to the British authorities that exposed the inner workings of Bengal’s revolutionary network, giving the colonial regime a powerful tool to strike back. His testimony revealed:

A revolutionary force of over 5,000 members, including both civilians and sympathetic elements within the British Indian Army.
The possession of approximately 150 revolvers and 10 rifles, a sign of the movement’s growing strength and preparedness.
The identities of key organizers such as Nonigopal Sengupta, Sarat Mitra, Bhupen Mukherjee, and Bhavabhushan Mitra.
The existence of a critical operational base at Arya Chemical Works in Krishnanagar, managed by advocate Lalitkumar Chattopadhyay, the uncle of Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin).

In his betrayal, Lalit also implicated several prominent revolutionaries, including Naren Bhattacharya (later known as M. N. Roy), Hemchandra Sen, Bijoy Chakravarty, and Charu Ghosh. The confession dealt a severe blow to the movement and led to a sweeping wave of arrests, launching what would soon be branded by the British as the Howrah–Sibpur Conspiracy Case—an effort to decapitate the revolutionary leadership and dismantle its networks.

Lalitkumar Chattopadhyay, uncle of Bagha Jatin and grandfather of famous Bengali actor Soumitra Chattopadhyay

The notoriety of Shamsul Alam

Role in the Alipore Conspiracy Case

By early 1910, Shamsul Alam, Deputy Superintendent of Police in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bengal, had become one of the most relentless instruments of British colonial repression. He played a pivotal role in the investigation and prosecution of the Alipore Bomb Case—a landmark political trial that sought to crush the rising tide of Indian nationalism. Working in close coordination with senior British officers like Charles Tegart, Alam was key to constructing the Crown’s case against members of the Jugantar group, many of whom were young patriots dreaming of liberation.

Alam worked extensively with Eardley Norton, the lead counsel representing the Crown, and invested exhaustive efforts in formulating legal strategies meant to entrap revolutionaries. His notoriety rested on his success in turning arrested revolutionaries into approvers, often through coercion, prolonged interrogation, and promises of leniency. These forced confessions and testimonies were used to weave a narrative of an orchestrated revolutionary conspiracy—one that the colonial government hoped would justify its sweeping crackdown.

The verdict, delivered in May 1909, resulted in several convictions and deportations. While Aurobindo Ghosh was ultimately acquitted, others—such as Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Ullaskar Dutta—were sentenced to harsh terms. Alam, unrelenting in his mission, continued to be involved in the legal proceedings during the appeal phase at the Calcutta High Court, determined to bring down the revolutionary network. Yet, in attempting to silence the call for freedom, Alam only cemented his role as a symbol of the oppressive machinery that patriots like Birendranath Dutta Gupta would soon rise to challenge.

Surveillance and repression

Following the Alipore verdict in May 1909, Shamsul Alam escalated his campaign against Bengal’s revolutionary forces. On 21 January 1910, acting on the damning confessions of Lalit Chakravarty, he issued arrest warrants for 33 individuals across the province. His name soon became synonymous with the colonial government’s ruthless suppression of nationalist activity.

As the machinery of repression tightened, Alam earned notoriety in revolutionary circles as the architect of fabricated charges and manipulated testimonies. Often blending fragments of truth with speculation and invention, he spearheaded a wave of CID-led arrests designed to destabilize the growing revolutionary network. Among India’s brave youth, his name became a symbol of betrayal and tyranny—a face of the imperial system that sought to extinguish the fire of freedom burning in Bengal.

Target of revolutionary retaliation

Shamsul Alam’s infamy among Indian nationalists was rooted not merely in his investigative zeal, but in his widespread reputation for fabricating evidence and extracting confessions through coercion. Within the networks of underground revolutionaries, he came to represent the very face of British imperial cruelty and deceit. To many, he was not just an officer of the state—he was a symbol of the brutal machinery used to crush India’s yearning for freedom.

Among the youthful patriots of Bengal, Alam’s name evoked scorn and resistance. He became a figure of ridicule, targeted in slogans, whispered chants, and biting satirical verses circulated secretly among student circles and revolutionary cells. One such anonymous rhyme, widely known and recited with defiance, captured the spirit of the time:

“তুমি সরকারের শ্যাম / আমাদের শূল /

(কবে) তোমার ভিটেয় চরবে ঘুঘু /

দেখবে চোখে সরষে-ফুল।”

("You are the government’s lapdog, our impaling spike.

Someday doves will nest on your empty home,

and you will see mustard flowers in your dying eyes.")

This verse, directed aimed at Shamsul Alam, became a symbol of the intense disdain and moral fury that revolutionaries harbored toward those who sided with the colonial regime. More than mere mockery, it embodied their unwavering determination to resist and retaliate against oppression in all its forms.

Among revolutionary leaders, including the formidable Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin), Alam’s elimination was seen as both justified and essential—a tactical response to a man who had become the lynchpin of colonial surveillance and repression. By early 1910, detailed plans for his assassination were underway. Alam’s predictable presence at court sessions and his close coordination with the Lalbazar Police Headquarters made him not only accessible but also a high-priority symbol of British tyranny.

His eventual assassination would come to be remembered as a landmark moment of revolutionary defiance—not an act of impulse, but a carefully executed strike against an agent of imperial injustice. It stood as a powerful reminder that the spirit of resistance in Bengal was alive, organized, and ready to confront colonial authority head-on.

Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar, 1908

Attempts to murder Alam

By late 1909, Shamsul Alam, Deputy Superintendent of Police in Bengal’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), had earned a reputation as one of the most feared enforcers of British rule. Among underground revolutionaries, he was infamous for his inhuman methods of torture—including the use of electric shocks and sharpened needles cruelly inserted into the fingers of young patriots to extract forced confessions in political cases. These brutal tactics reflected the merciless face of colonial justice.

Alam's arsenal of repression extended far beyond torture. He orchestrated a regime of constant surveillance, intimidation, and sham prosecutions, turning police procedure into a weapon against the freedom movement. His actions drew deep resentment and growing outrage from the ranks of Jugantar and other revolutionary groups across Bengal.

Faced with such escalating tyranny, the revolutionaries concluded that eliminating Alam had become a moral and strategic necessity. Several plans were drawn up to bring an end to his reign of terror—plans not born of vengeance alone, but of a clear and courageous resolve to resist colonial brutality.

Failed attempts

The first attempt to eliminate Shamsul Alam was undertaken by Chandi Majumdar, a committed revolutionary personally entrusted with the mission by Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin). However, due to Alam’s heavy security cover and erratic movement patterns, the operation failed to reach its target. Undeterred, a second attempt followed, with Chandi now accompanied by Satish Sarkar, whose role was to positively identify the target. Yet again, fate did not favor the mission, and the opportunity was lost.

Birendranath takes charge

It was then that Birendranath Dutta Gupta, young and resolute, stepped forward and volunteered for the task. His request was not impulsive—it was the decision of a patriot willing to lay down his life to strike a blow against tyranny. Recognizing his courage, Bagha Jatin approved the mission and placed his trust in Biren to carry it out.

The revolver used in the operation had a story of its own—a symbol of defiance cleverly repurposed for revolution. It was procured by Suresh Chandra Majumdar (nicknamed Poran, later the founder of Anandabazar Patrika), who stole the weapon from Rai Bahadur Purnachandra Moulik, the magistrate of Jajpur, Odisha, while staying at his residence. The revolver passed from Suresh to Bagha Jatin, and from there to Biren, who would carry it into history.

Later, the CID traced the weapon’s origin and confirmed its journey in their internal documentation, including a 1911 memorandum by CID Chief F.C. Daly—a silent testament to the meticulous planning and audacity of Bengal’s revolutionaries.

Planning the operation

In the weeks leading up to January 1910, Birendranath Dutta Gupta, with the assistance of Satish Chandra Sarkar, meticulously tracked Shamsul Alam’s routine. Alam's unpredictable movements, tight security, and armed escorts made any casual approach nearly impossible. After several failed opportunities—including a botched attempt near Chowringhee due to overwhelming police presence—the Calcutta High Court emerged as the only feasible site for executing the mission.

Assassination of Shamsul Alam

On 24 January 1910, at approximately 5:00 p.m., as the Alipore Bomb Case appeals were underway, Alam arrived at the court for a meeting with Eardley Norton, the government counsel. As the session ended, Alam descended the eastern staircase of the court building, unaware that retribution awaited.

From the shadows stepped Birendranath—calm, poised, and ready. With Satish Sarkar nearby, Biren advanced and, in a swift, practiced motion, drew the revolver hidden beneath his garments. At point-blank range, he pulled the trigger.

The bullet tore through Alam’s chest, striking directly at the heart of the regime’s repressive machinery. Alam gasped and staggered. In his final breath, he shouted, “Pakro! Pakro!” (Catch him! Catch him!), handed his walking stick to his orderly—then collapsed lifeless on the marble floor. The shot had pierced his heart. Death was instantaneous.

Pandemonium followed. But Biren did not flinch. He turned and descended the staircase calmly, weapon still in hand. Reaching the eastern gate facing Old Post Office Street, he found it locked and a crowd gathering fast. In a moment of defiant clarity, he fired a second shot into the air, scattering the crowd in fear. Taking advantage of the confusion, he darted through another exit and sprinted northward, revolver clutched firmly—a lone patriot racing through colonial corridors, having struck a blow for freedom.

Chase and capture

Moments after delivering the fatal shot to Shamsul Alam on the eastern staircase of the Calcutta High Court on 24 January 1910, Birendranath Dutta Gupta broke into a desperate run. With unwavering resolve and the fire of revolution still burning in his chest, he descended the stone steps swiftly and burst onto Old Post Office Street. Behind him, cries of “Murder! Murder!” reverberated through the court premises, as panic spread and people scrambled to understand what had just occurred.

But Biren had no time to look back. A crowd began to gather, and several among them gave chase—determined to stop this young man who had dared to strike down a top British intelligence officer in broad daylight. Leading the pursuit was Ramdhani Kahar, a court peon, followed closely by a chaprasi and multiple staffers from the High Court.

Biren ran with everything he had, heading toward Hastings Street (present-day Kiran Shankar Ray Road), dodging passersby and galloping hooves. Near the New Company’s building, a mounted policeman named Ali Ahmad Khan attempted to intercept him. Biren didn’t hesitate—he turned and fired. The shot rang out, but missed its target.

In that split-second of distraction, Ramdhani Kahar lunged from behind, grabbing Biren with all his strength. Struggling but outnumbered, Biren was overpowered. Constable Dhoran Singh seized his revolver, wresting the weapon from the hand that had just carried out one of the most daring revolutionary acts of the era.

Upon arrest, Biren was found to be heavily armed—a .380 bore Webley revolver, six chambers loaded, a sharp dagger, and a knife tucked into his garments. For one brief moment, the thought of ending his own life flickered—to deny the enemy the satisfaction of capture. He began to raise the revolver to his own head, but a quick-witted police sergeant intervened, knocking it away just in time.

Interrogation and confession

Following his dramatic arrest, Birendranath Dutta Gupta was briefly confined within the premises of the Calcutta High Court, as stunned silence and chaos enveloped the colonial institution. Outside, the lifeless body of Shamsul Alam—the feared deputy of the Bengal CID—lay sprawled on the staircase, the very seat of imperial justice now marked with the blood of tyranny.

In a matter of minutes, top British judicial authorities arrived at the scene. Among them were Chief Justice Sir Lawrence Jenkins, Justice Harrington, and Justice Stephen. The Chief Justice, moved by a fleeting moment of humanity, reportedly offered water to the fallen officer. But it was too late. Alam had breathed his last, the bullet fired in the name of India’s freedom having pierced through his chest. That bullet, a symbol of resistance, was later found embedded in the court’s veranda wall—a silent witness to the thunderclap that had shaken the empire’s confidence.

Meanwhile, Biren was transferred under heavy guard to the Bowbazar Police Station, where the colonial machinery quickly swung into motion. There, he faced an intense and prolonged interrogation. Among those present were Deputy Inspector General Mr. Valley, Assistant DIG Mr. Denham, and the notorious Police Commissioner Sir Charles Augustus Halliday.

Despite relentless interrogation that stretched deep into the night—until 1 a.m.—Birendranath Dutta Gupta remained unyielding. The British officers pressed him with questions, threats, and psychological coercion, hoping to extract names and unravel the revolutionary network. But Biren, undaunted and steadfast, refused to reveal even his own identity. In the eyes of the Empire, he was an anonymous rebel; in truth, he was the face of India’s awakened youth, daring to challenge colonial brutality.

When finally compelled to make a statement, Biren stood firm and claimed full responsibility, declaring with unwavering resolve:

“I was angry with the DSP for arresting and torturing revolutionaries. I acted alone, on no one’s orders. I wanted revenge, and I got it.”

No force, no threat, no promise of mercy could make him betray his comrades. Even under immense pressure, he chose silence over compromise, martyrdom over betrayal. It was only through subsequent investigation that the authorities identified him as Birendranath Dutta Gupta, of 61 Mirzapur Street, Calcutta, originally hailing from East Bengal.

Sri Aurobindo's view

The reverberations of Birendranath Dutta Gupta’s fearless act spread far beyond the walls of the Calcutta High Court. In nationalist circles, it ignited a surge of admiration, awe, and emotional fervor. His name became a symbol—spoken in whispers and songs, in meetings and meditations. Among those who deeply felt the impact was Suresh Chakraborty, a close disciple of Sri Aurobindo, who later recorded a poignant moment from Pondicherry:

“At this time, Aurobindo was learning Tamil. I remember one day, after finishing his Tamil lesson, he returned in high spirits, like a schoolboy of thirteen or fourteen, and with a sense of amusement said,

‘Do you know what "Biren-dhra-naath That-tha Goop-thaa (பிரேந்திரநாத் தத்தா குப்தா)" means?’

We all stood speechless in our ignorance. He explained it—Birendranath Dutta Gupta’s name in Tamil.”

Behind the light-heartedness lay reverence. To Sri Aurobindo and his companions, Birendranath was not merely a name—it was an invocation of sacrifice, valor, and the fierce resolve of India’s youth.

Post-arrest investigation and interrogations

Following the identification of Birendranath Dutta Gupta as the assassin of Shamsul Alam, the colonial police launched an intensive investigation, beginning with a midnight raid on his family residence at 61 Mirzapur Street.

According to police records, during a moment of quiet interrogation, his elder brother, Dhirendra Dutta Gupta, asked him why he had committed the act. Biren answered simply and firmly: “I did what I believed was right.” The words, unshaken and solemn, revealed a deep-seated moral clarity. During formal questioning, when officials tried to elicit more information, he reportedly declared: “You can do whatever you want with me; I won’t say a word.” He made it clear that he bore no personal grudge against Shamsul Alam—his action was political, not personal. It was the institution of colonial brutality that he had struck at, not the man alone.

Dhirendra told investigators that Biren had recently been spending time visiting a friend on Grey Street who had fallen ill, and that he had not returned to his mess at Harrison Road the night before the shooting. However, the truth was far more telling—Biren had been staying at the residence of Bagha Jatin at 275 Upper Chitpur Road, a nucleus of revolutionary activity. At the time, a relative of Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin)—one of his uncles—was seriously ill, and a number of revolutionaries were present under the pretext of nursing him, using the opportunity for planning, training, and quiet solidarity. In that atmosphere of patriotic camaraderie and resolve, Biren had prepared for his fateful act.

Bagha Jatin's arrest

Three days after the assassination of Shamsul Alam, on January 27, 1910, Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin) was arrested from his residence at 275 Upper Chitpur Road. The arrest was precipitated by a damaging statement from Lalit Chakraborty, a detained revolutionary. That night, Jatin had been nursing his ailing uncle, staying awake by his bedside—just as Birendranath Dutta Gupta had done only days earlier. Several comrades were present when the police stormed in under cover of darkness, disrupting a sanctum of quiet care and revolutionary fraternity.

When presented with the arrest warrant, Jatin reportedly smiled calmly, confident in his innocence—or perhaps in the strength of the ideals he embodied. The police conducted a meticulous search of the premises but found nothing incriminating. Unknown to them, Jatin’s trusted disciple Satish Sarkar had already secured or removed all sensitive documents, demonstrating the tight discipline and foresight of the group. The only item seized was a handwritten essay by Jatin himself, titled “The Scheme of Vigilance Committee”, which would later draw the attention of Charles Tegart and his Special Branch as evidence of seditious planning.

Sri Aurobindo’s journal Dharma reported the arrest with concern and noted a wider net of detentions: Jatin’s uncle Anathbandhu Chattopadhyay was taken from 5 Benetola Lane; Lalitkumar Chattopadhyay, a Krishnanagar-based lawyer, and his assistant Nibaran Majumdar were arrested; and residents of 10 Amherst Street, a student mess previously frequented by Biren, were also picked up. Notably, as early as November 1909, Shamsul Alam himself had raided Lalit Babu’s home, seizing letters and a copy of Swaraj magazine—further underscoring the colonial government’s long-standing effort to crush the expanding revolutionary network.

Though little physical evidence was recovered, a narrative of sedition was being woven, laying the foundation for what would later be called the Howrah-Sibpur Conspiracy Case. Yet, to those within the movement, these arrests only confirmed the growing reach and threat of their ideals—a testament to how deeply the spirit of freedom and self-sacrifice had taken root across Bengal.

Bagha Jatin photograph taken after arrest.

Aurobindo's depart to Pondicherry

In the aftermath of Shamsul Alam’s assassination, British intelligence—still unsettled by the Alipore Bomb Case—ramped up efforts to destroy the growing revolutionary underground in Bengal. Determined to project the incident as part of a larger nationalist conspiracy, the authorities sought to frame Bagha Jatin as its leader and considered renewing an arrest warrant against Sri Aurobindo.

Foreseeing the impending crackdown, Sri Aurobindo retreated from public life and left Calcutta, seeking sanctuary in Chandannagar, then a French enclave outside British reach. By late March 1910, traveling incognito as Jatindranath Mitra, he boarded the French steamer Dupleix bound for Pondicherry, another French settlement, where he would embark upon his spiritual mission beyond the colonial eye.

Meanwhile, Satish Sarkar, who had played a vital role in assisting Birendranath Dutta Gupta during the Alam operation, went underground under the pseudonym "Kanishtha", taking shelter at a mess in 6 Crouch Lane. He was later joined by Suresh Chakraborty, the trusted comrade who had arranged for Aurobindo’s safe passage to Pondicherry.

Trial and Death Sentence

The trial of Birendranath Dutta Gupta commenced on 27 January 1910 before Chief Presidency Magistrate Mr. Swinhoe. Owing to the high-profile nature of the case, access to the courtroom was restricted to legal professionals, police officials, and a few accredited journalists. Mr. Hume appeared for the prosecution. Among the witnesses were Shamsul Alam’s bodyguard, several court peons, a mounted constable, and other individuals present during the assassination. Biren was formally committed to stand trial at the Calcutta High Court, where proceedings began on 31 January 1910 before a special jury.

Throughout the trial, Biren remained calm and composed. Contemporary observers remarked on his indifference—at times he was seen quietly smiling or speaking with the police. When the court asked whether he wished to appoint legal counsel, Biren declined, choosing to plead guilty. A brief defence was mounted by Nishith Sen, appointed by the court, but the accused stood firm in his refusal to contest the charges.

One striking anecdote from the trial involved a midday break. Biren reportedly requested kachoris, samosas, and rasgullas, stating that “jail food was unpalatable” and expressing a desire for these as a final indulgence. Upon consultation, the request was granted—reportedly on the orders of Charles Tegart, then head of the Special Branch.

Later that day, the court pronounced the death sentence, convicting Biren of the assassination of Deputy Superintendent Shamsul Alam. Biren accepted the verdict without protest, maintaining his composure until the end. His execution was scheduled for 21 February 1910.

Birendranath Dutta Gupta photograph taken prior to his execution.

Interrogation and Psychological Manipulation

Following his conviction, Birendranath Dutta Gupta was subjected to relentless interrogation at Presidency Jail. Despite being physically exhausted and bearing the brunt of severe torture, Biren held firm in his resolve. He refused to implicate anyone else in the assassination of Shamsul Alam, repeatedly affirming, “I acted alone on no one’s orders.”

Unwilling to accept his silence, British authorities resorted to psychological manipulation in a desperate attempt to break him. Among their tactics was the involvement of Father Brown, a Christian missionary whom Biren had once trusted. The police exploited this personal bond to gain his confidence and emotionally destabilize him during solitary confinement. This betrayal was later recounted in a private letter by Sister Nivedita, who had heard of the incident through Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Still finding Biren unyielding, the CID officers turned to more insidious deceit. As recounted by Prabhat Kumar Gangopadhyay in Biplabi Juger Katha, the interrogators fabricated an English newspaper page, falsely alleging that Bagha Jatin, Biren’s revered mentor and guiding light, had betrayed the cause. The falsified report, complete with a doctored photograph and a fake article, was read aloud to Biren, portraying Jatin as having collaborated with the British and given evidence against him.

The emotional impact on the young revolutionary was devastating. At just nineteen years old, already enduring unbearable torment, Biren was psychologically shattered. Confronted with what he believed was his leader’s betrayal, he broke down and cried out, “I’ll tell you, sir. I did it all on Dada’s orders.”

It was the coerced confession the British had sought—not through justice, but through calculated deception. What they extracted in those final days was not just a statement, but a wound inflicted upon a young patriot’s soul, forged in loyalty and broken by betrayal.

Sister Nivedita, in another letter addressed to S.S. Ratcliffe, expressed serious doubts regarding the authenticity of Biren’s so-called confession. Reflecting on the circumstances under which it was obtained, she wrote with anguish:

“This confession was taken at midnight before a magistrate and S.N. Roy, just prior to his execution. Poor boy! What anguish his soul must have endured!”

Her words suggest not only a personal grief but also a critique of the British authorities’ methods—how a young, loyal soul was possibly coerced into a final, desperate utterance, on the eve of death, under duress and betrayal.

Implication of Bagha Jatin

Biren’s coerced confession gave the British authorities the excuse they had been looking for to implicate Bagha Jatin, the towering figure of Bengal’s revolutionary movement, in the murder of Samsul Alam. In a display of urgency that betrayed legal propriety, a special court session was convened inside Alipore Jail, and Jatin was transferred from Howrah Jail to face fresh charges. Yet Barrister J.N. Roy, denied the opportunity to consult his client or question Biren directly, strongly condemned the proceedings as a travesty of justice. He demanded a stay on Biren’s execution, urging that proper legal process be allowed to unfold.

But the colonial administration, bent on vengeance and repression, refused to relent. When Roy appealed to the Lieutenant Governor for an adjournment, the plea was flatly denied. The execution date—21 February 1910—remained fixed, sealing the fate of the young martyr.

Years later, in 1918, Sir Sidney Rowlatt, while heading the infamous Sedition Committee, referenced the Alam assassination in his report. His chilling statement laid bare the colonial mindset:

“The real criminal responsible for this young man’s actions was Jatin Mukherjee… who lived on for six more years to corrupt many more youths.”

Rather than acknowledging the cries of a colonised people yearning for freedom, Rowlatt’s words demonised a patriot whose influence had lit a fire of resistance across Bengal.

Execution and Final Realization

On the eve of his execution, a sympathetic jail official, moved by the young revolutionary’s suffering, finally revealed the truth to Biren — the newspaper article maligning Bagha Jatin had been forged by the police. The cruel deception shattered Biren’s heart. Realizing how he had been tricked into betraying his revered mentor, he was overwhelmed with remorse. With the little strength left in him, he pleaded that a message of apology be conveyed to Jatin, a last act of conscience from a brave soul coerced by treachery.

Despite the emotional torment and cruel psychological warfare he had endured, Biren met his fate with the quiet dignity of a true patriot. At dawn on 21 February 1910, Birendranath Dutta Gupta was led to the gallows of Alipore Presidency Jail, becoming the fourth martyr to be hanged there, following Kanailal Dutta, Satyendranath Bose, and Charu Chandra Bose — a solemn line of young heroes who gave their lives for India’s liberation.

Although Biren Dutta Gupta did not emerge as a strategic leader or organizer within the revolutionary movement, his unwavering courage, deep devotion, and willingness to embrace martyrdom enshrined him among the countless young patriots whose silent sacrifices nourished the soil of India’s freedom struggle. He represented the heart of a generation — young, idealistic, and unshakably resolute in the face of tyranny.

His final days — marked by torture, betrayal and remorse — remain an enduring testament to the cruelty of colonial repression and to the indomitable moral strength that defined Bengal’s revolutionary youth. Though his name may not appear prominently in textbooks, Biren’s martyrdom echoes in the larger story of India's fight for liberation — where every drop of blood spilled became a vow toward Swaraj.

Bagha Jatin's sympathy for Biren

The Rowlatt Committee Report later confirmed what British intelligence had long assumed — that Bagha Jatin was regarded as the true mastermind behind Samsul Alam’s assassination. The psychological manipulation inflicted upon Biren had not been incidental; it was a deliberate strategy by the colonial state to ensnare Jatin and cripple the revolutionary underground in Bengal.

Years later, a disillusioned comrade remarked to Jatin, “Had Biren not confessed, we could’ve done much more.” To this, Jatin responded with unshakable resolve:
“Don’t you dare slander Biren in front of me. He was just a boy—too young to outsmart the police. But tell me, have you even considered the courage it took to do what he did?”

In 1913, Jatin named his younger son Birendranath — a quiet yet powerful tribute to the young comrade who died with his name on his lips and belief in his “Dada.” Despite the colonial state’s cruel strategies, Biren’s sacrifice endured as a spark, and Jatin’s ideals lived on, kindling the fire in the hearts of a new generation of revolutionaries.

Birendranath Mukherjee, son of Bagha Jatin.

Misconception

A common misconception persists that Bagha Jatin was implicated solely due to Birendranath Dutta Gupta’s confession. In truth, it was Lalit Chakraborty’s earlier betrayal that inflicted the most severe damage to the revolutionary network. Biren’s coerced confession, extracted through intense psychological torture, was exploited later by the authorities but was not decisive in Bagha Jatin’s arrest. By that time, Jatin Mukherjee was already a marked man, having come under British surveillance after the Siliguri incident, where he famously confronted and disciplined four British officers for racially abusing Indian passengers. His name had been blacklisted well before the Alam case, and colonial intelligence was actively seeking an opportunity to apprehend him.

In the biographical film Bagha Jatin (2023), directed by Arun Roy, actor Abhirup Chowdhury portrayed Birendranath Dutta Gupta, focusing on the assassination of Shamsul Alam and the courtroom drama that followed. However, the film omits the critical episode involving Lalit Chakraborty’s betrayal, which played a pivotal role in enabling Jatin’s arrest. This omission has contributed to the widespread but inaccurate belief that Biren’s confession alone led to Bagha Jatin’s arrest.

Reminiscences

The sentence was pronounced—death by hanging—and it was carried out on February 21, 1910, at Alipore Session Jail. But long before he faced the gallows, Birendranath had internalized the idea of self-sacrifice. He was present at the Keoratola crematorium for the funeral of Kanailal Dutta, the young revolutionary who had gunned down the turncoat Naren Goswami inside Alipore Jail. Deeply moved by Kanailal’s martyrdom, Biren began to regard him as a spiritual guide.

One of Biren’s close friends and comrades, Purnachandra Chakraborty, later recalled:

“Since that day, I never met Biren again, and if I did, it was only for a fleeting moment. He vanished as if from the face of the earth.
The night before Samsul Alam’s assassination, around 8 p.m., he came to our house. Close to 1 a.m., he embraced me, saying, ‘Farewell, friend,’ and left. I didn’t realize then that it would be our final meeting.
There was something unusual in his behavior that night, a hint of something new, but I thought he might be heading for some critical mission. The organization’s strict code forbade him from speaking, just as it prohibited me from asking questions.

We had countless conversations over time—about life after death, the dream of seeing a free India, and whether that dream could be realized in another lifetime. I didn’t know then that the very next day, he would undertake a daring act, drawing the curtain on his life and departing for the eternal abode.”

Reflecting further on their bond, Purnachandra continued:

“Biren was my classmate. I met him in Kolkata, and our acquaintance gradually deepened into heartfelt friendship. His home was in Bikrampur. From the start, I noticed his burning passion for the nation’s cause.
Back then, we both attended the samiti, practicing physical exercises. In quiet places, we would sit for hours, lost in discussions and dreams of India’s freedom.
The massive funeral procession for Kanailal Dutta at Keoratola crematorium, before his cremation, had sparked a frenzy of excitement and fervor, leaving a deep imprint on Biren’s mind. He was always eager to sacrifice himself for the nation’s cause.

Biren was calm and composed by nature. I understood that his fervor wasn’t fleeting excitement—it was profound. He deeply grasped that achieving a free India required organized effort and ultimate sacrifice.”

—From Agneya Pathe, Purnachandra Chakraborty, pp. 39–42

Legacy

Biren’s supreme sacrifice became a source of inspiration for generations of Indian revolutionaries. Despite the colonial state’s efforts to erase or discredit his memory, his legacy endured. In 1986, a bust of Birendranath Dutta Gupta was installed within the Jalpaiguri District Council premises, commemorating his brief but significant association with the town. Though not a native of Jalpaiguri—having studied there for only one year in 1908 at the Jalpaiguri District School—he is remembered as the city’s first martyr.

On 21 February 2024, the 115th martyrdom anniversary of Biren was observed at the same location by the Shahid Birendranath Dutta Gupta Smriti Raksha Committee. The event featured floral tributes, musical performances, and speeches by local dignitaries, including former MLA Gobinda Roy, District Council President Krishna Roy Barman, and historian Dr. Partha Sarathi Chakraborty, among others. A public appeal was also made to name a road in Jalpaiguri after the young martyr, to which the District Council President gave a positive assurance.

Birendranath Dutta Gupta's bust in Jalpaiguri; Bottom: People paying respects.

Biren’s life and ideals have also been revived through literary remembrance. A biographical work titled "Bir Birendra", authored by Arun Krishna Ghosh, a teacher at Jalpaiguri District School, was published in 2024. The book seeks to reintroduce Biren’s story to the younger generation and restore his rightful place in the collective memory of India’s independence movement.

While revolutionaries like Khudiram Bose and Bhagat Singh have become household names, Birendranath Dutta Gupta—who too gave his life for the nation at the age of 20—remains relatively lesser known. Yet his fearless assassination of the chief investigator of the Alipore Bomb Case on 24 January 1910, followed by his execution on 21 February 1910, mark him as one of the youngest and most resolute martyrs of India’s revolutionary era.

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Born	June 20, 1889 Bikrampur, Dhaka District, Bengal Presidency, British Raj
Died	February 21, 1910 (aged 20) Alipore Central Jail, Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British Raj
Cause of death	Execution by hanging
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Biren
Alma mater	Jalpaiguri District School, National School, Rangpur
Organization	Jugantar
Known for	Assassination of Deputy Superintendent Shamsul Alam, martyrdom at age of 20, association with Bagha Jatin and Jugantar group
Movement	Indian independence movement
Criminal penalty	Capital punishment
Parents	Umacharan Dutta Gupta (father) Basantakumari Devi (mother)
Relatives	Dhirendra Dutta Gupta (brother)

Justice, Not Vengeance: Biren Dutta Gupta’s Courtroom Sacrifice