👉 One of the most brutal incidents of British rule in India

📅 Key Facts

• Date: 13 April 1919 (on Baisakhi)
• Place: Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
• Ordered by: General Dyer
• Victims: Hundreds of unarmed Indians killed (official ~379; actual number much higher)

📖 Background

• British passed the Rowlatt Act (1919):
  • Allowed arrest without trial
  • Suppressed civil liberties
• Nationwide protests began under Mahatma Gandhi
• Punjab became a center of unrest

⚔️ The Incident

• Thousands gathered peacefully in Jallianwala Bagh
• The garden had narrow exits
• General Dyer:
  • Blocked the exits
  • Ordered troops to open fire without warning
• Firing continued for about 10 minutes
• People had no escape; many jumped into a well to save themselves

⚖️ Aftermath

• Widespread shock and anger across India
• British government set up Hunter Commission
• Dyer was criticized but not severely punished

📊 Impact & Significance

1. Turning Point in Freedom Struggle

• Ended Indian faith in British justice

2. Rise of Nationalism

• Strengthened the independence movement

3. Gandhi’s Reaction

• Launched Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)

4. Protest by Leaders

• Rabindranath Tagore returned his Knighthood in protest

🎯 Important Points for Exams

• Occurred on Baisakhi day
• No warning before firing
• Symbol of British brutality
• Key event leading to mass movements

🧠 One-Line Revision

👉 “Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919) was a brutal firing on peaceful Indians by General Dyer, which became a turning point in India’s freedom struggle.”