Benoy Krishna Basu (1908-1930) was a revolutionary of the Jugantar group, was born in a middle class family in the village of Rohitbhog in Munshigonj district (Bangladesh) on 11 Sep. 1908and was the son of Rabatimohan Basu,an engineer, and Kshirodabashini Devi, a deeply religious lady. Benoy received his early education in Dhaka and joined the Mitford Medical School (now Salimullah Medical College) after passing the Matriculation Examination. When he was young he came in contact with Hemchandra Ghosh, a well known revolutionary of Dhaka and joined the "Mukti Sangha", a secret society attached with Jugantar Party.Because of his revolutionary activities he could not complete his medical education.After the First World War, Hemchandra shifted his activities to Calcutta and Benoy remained closely attached to his group. In 1928, at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress when Subhas Chndra Bose,being GOC, organised a group named Bengal Volunteers under the leadership of Saty Gupta, Benoy and his fellow revolutionaries owing allegiance to the Benu Group joined the new organisation.Soon he became influencial in the group and established a local unit of the Bengal Volunteers in Dhaka. Within a short period the Bengal Volunteers transformed itself into an active revolutionary organisation and decided to launch "operation freedom" in early 1930s.The Bengal volunteers in Dhakatook such a stand primarily to voice their protest against the police repression in different jails in Bengal.Benoy, then a medical student, was called upon , to strike the first blow.In Aug. 1930, Benoy came to know that Lowman, the inspector General of Police, will be visting the Medical School Hospitalto see an ailing senior police official undergoing treatment. On 29 Aug. 1930, Benoy casually clad in atraditional bengali attire breached the security and fired at a close range. Lowman died instantly and Hodson, the superintendent of police, was grievously injured. Benoy evaded arrest and escaped to a party shelter in Calcutta. The police began a manhunt and announced prize of Rs. 5000 on Benoy's head.At this time Subhas Bose was anxious to send him abroad, But Benoy boldly refused. However within a few months Benoy and his group was brought into action again. The inspector General of prisons, Col NS Simpson had become an eyesore of the revolutionaries for unleashing a brutal oppression on the prisnors in the jail.The revolutionaries decided not only to liquidate him, but also to strike a terror in the British official circles by launching an attack on the secretariatBuilding. On 8 Dec. 1930, Benoy along with Dinesh Chandra Gupta and Badal Gupta, dressed in European costume, entered the writers' building and shot dead Simpson.Some other officers like Twynam, Prentice and nelson, known for their terror tactics, also suffered injuries during the shooting.
Despite being successful in their venture Benoyand his fellow revolutionaries, however, could not escape. The police contingent under the command of the inspector general and the police commissioner opened fire on them.The young revolutionaries continued the unequal fight for some time. Determined not to give themselves upto the police Badalswallowed Potassium cyanide, while Benoy and Dinesh shot themselves with their own revolvers.Badal died instantly,. Benoy succomed to his injuries on 13 Dec. 1930, Dinesh recovered in the hospital, was tried and sentenced to death. Thus Benoy and his fellow revolutionaries b ecame martyrsand their sense of dedication and self sacrifice became objects of emulationfor the future generations in Bengal.
