People look inside an old well where mortal remains of soldiers who supposedly died in the revolt of 1857, were dug out at a Sikh shrine at Ajnala village, some 30km from Amritsar, yesterday. Archaeologists will examine claims that the remains belong to soldiers who revolted against the British rule in 1857.
Agencies/Anjala, Punjab
Archaeologists will examine claims that remains of people exhumed from an abandoned well in Punjab belong to soldiers who revolted against British rule in 1857, officials said yesterday.
The remains of 282 soldiers executed by the British were found inside the premises of a Sikh temple in Ajnala town, local official Surinder Singh said over phone.
“There are references in historical texts to these freedom fighters who had sacrificed their lives during the mutiny, known as India’s first war of independence in 1857,” Singh said.
“But this is yet to be confirmed. Experts from the archaeology department will soon begin a probe and possibly carry out carbon-dating on the remains,” he said.
Besides 80 human skulls, skeletons and spent bullets, coins and medals that date back to the Victorian era were also found from the excavated well, said shrine chief Amarjit Singh Sarkaria.
Historian Surinder Kochhar, who initiated the excavation, says the troops were from the 26th Bengal Native Infantry stationed at Lahore who escaped after killing two British officers, hearing of reports of mutiny in other parts of India.
The soldiers were captured in Ajnala where they were thrown into a well that was later covered with soil, he said.
The digging of the well started on Friday, preceded by Sikh, Hindu and Muslim prayers.
Scores of volunteers were involved in digging the well, which was earlier called “kalian wala khu” (well of the blacks). It is now referred to as the “shaheedan wala khu” (well of the martyrs).
Be it members of the gurdwara committee, NGO activists, men and women from the town or even school children - all were involved in the digging and excavation work.
“These were our freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives during the First War of Independence. The British pushed them into the well here and let them die,” said Amarjit Singh Sarkaria, president of Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj.
The gurdwara came up at the site as a tribute to the martyrs.
“We will perform their last rites with the respect and honour they deserve,” Sarkaria said.
Kochhar said it was an emotional moment for the people of Ajnala town when the skulls and bones were taken out.
Residents and gurdwara committee members, however, rued that the government never bothered about the martyrs for 157 years.
The gurdwara committee and others engaged in excavation said a suitable memorial and a museum would be built at the site to honour those who laid down their lives for the country.
The rebellion of 1857 was sparked when Indian soldiers of the British East India Company - Hindus and Muslims - refused to use bullet cartridges said to be greased by beef and pork fat.
