Thakur Roshan Singh

Thakur Roshan Singh (born 22 January 1892 at Navada village of Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, executed on 19 December 1927 at Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh) was an Indian revolutionary who was sentenced in the Bareilly Goli Kand (en. shooting case) in the Non Cooperation Movement of 1921-22. After release from Bareilly central jail, he joined the Hindustan Republican Association in 1924.

Brief life history
Roshan Singh was born to Kaushalya Devi and Jangi Singh on 22 Jan 1892 in a Thakur family of Navada village. This small village is situated in Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. He was a sharp shooter and good wrestler. He had been associated with the Arya Samaj of Shahjahanpur for a long time. When the U.P. Government imposed a ban on Indian National Congress Volunteer Corps in November 1921, it was decided to oppose the decision of government from all corners of the country. Thakur Roshan Singh leaded the troop of aggressive volunteers sent from Shahjahanpur district to the Bareilly region. Police opened a fire to stop the procession and Roshan Singh was arrested along with other protesters. A case was filed and he was sent for two years' rigorous imprisonment in the Central Jail of Bareilly.

Joined HRA
Since he hailed from Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, which is famous for its hard language, particularly the jailer behaved him rudely saying that you people actually deserve such type of harsh treatment. Roshan Singh, being a Thakur, decided it in the jail to take revenge with such unhuman bahaviour of the British Government. As soon as he was released from Bareilly jail, he went straightforward to Shahjahanpur and met Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil in the premises of Arya Samaj. Bismil was already in search of some sharp shooters for his revolutionary party. He immediately enrolled Thakur Roshan Singh in his newly established organisation and allotted him the work of practising shooting to the youngsters entering in the party.

Bamrauli Action
The Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) was struggling hard in collecting the funds. The richest sector of society was not prepared to pay even a single ruppee to the young organisation. Although they were paying to the Congress and Swaraj Party with open hands. Then Thakur Roshan Singh suggested Ram Prasad Bismil to steal money from the richer sector of society through armed terror. Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil gave it a new term as an Action. It was a code word of the party.

On 25 December 1924, (in the night of Christmas Day) a house of Baldeo Prasad was attacked in the night by the Action-Men of HRA in the leadership of Thakur Roshan Singh. Baldeo was a money lender and sugar king. In this they could get Rupees 4000 and good stock of arnaments. Mohan Lal - a wrestler of the village - challenged the persons and opened a fire. Thakur Roshan Singh, who was a sharp shooter, killed him in a single shot and grabbed his rifle.

Kakory conspiracyAlthough Thakur Roshan Singh had not participated in Kakori train robbery even then he was caught, tried and sentenced to death for the murder of Mohan Lal. When the judgement was delivered and Judge announced five years punishment under section 121(A) and 120(B) of I.P.C., Roshan Singh could understand the English words "five years". He was going to abuse the judge for not punishing him up to the standard of Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, in the meantime Vishnu Sharan Dublish whispered in his ear-" Thakur Sahib! You have also been punished in the same grade as Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil." Hearing these words from Dublish Thakur Roshan Singh sprang up from his chair, embraced Ram Prasad Bismil and joyfully said-"Oye Pandit! Did you like to go alone to the gallows? But this Thakur is not going to spare you any way. He will accompany you too."

Last letter from condemned cell
Thakur Roshan Singh had written to his cousin Hukam Singh from the condemned cell of Malaka/Naini Jail of Allahabad - "The life of a man is the best creature of God and I have proved this by sacrificing it for cause of its creature. I am the first man of my native village Nabada who has glorified all of you my brothers and sisters. Why to repent for this mortal human body, it was to be finished any day. I am happy that I could devote more and more time to meditate in the last moments. I know the man who dies in the way of his duty or Dharma gets salvation for ever. You need not worry for my death. I am going to sleep peacefully in the lap of God."

Family facing hardship
Thakur Roshan Singh sacrificed for the betterment of a common man but his spouse and children got nothing as a reward for that. After his death, his spouse and family had to face social and economic hardship including problems in finding a matrimonial match for his daughters. His village Nabada is still as backward as it was in the period of British India. Nothing to the mark has been done by the India government for the rural development. Farmers are still deprived off their basic needs of the daily routine.

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