Kanailal Dutta was an Indian freedom fighter and a revolutionary who is renowned for his significant contributions in the Indian freedom struggle. He was a part of the Indian Extremist Group Jugantar, also known as Jugantor or Yugantar, which was one of the leading revolutionary groups in colonial Bengal whose ideology primarily focused in the revolutionary activities to free the nation from the rule of British Empire in India. Jugantar initially started as a suburban fitness club but later became a revolutionary association like that of the Anushilan Samiti.
Early Life of Kanailal Dutta
The well known Indian freedom fighter Kanailal Dutta was born in the year 1888 in Chandannagar, West Bengal. He was born in the house of his maternal uncle at Chandannagar. Chunilal Dutta, his father, was an accountant in the naval department at Bombay. Kanailal Dutta was initially educated in the Girgaon Aryan Education Society School, Bombay. Eventually he returned to Chandannagar and was admitted in Chandannagar Duplex Vidyamandir. In the year 1908, Kanailal Dutta gave the BA exam from Hooghly Mohsin College.
Revolutionary Activities of Kanailal Dutta
During his studies in college, Kanailal Dutta met with Professor Charu Chandra Roy. He inspired Kanailal to join the Indian freedom struggle during the agitations against the Partition of Bengal. He also developed a close connection with the Gondolpara revolutionary group, which was led by Srishchandra Ghosh. He learnt the use of firearms from Srishchandra Ghosh. During movement against partition of Bengal in the year 1905, Kanailal Dutta was in the vanguard from Chandannagar group.
Kanailal Dutta moved to Calcutta (now Kolkata) in the year 1908; and he joined the Jugantar revolutionary group which was based in Calcutta. In relation with the attempt of Kingsford assassination, he was arrested on 2nd May 1908 and was imprisoned in the Alipore Jail. When he was inside the jail, Kanailal Dutta and Satyendranath Basu were ordered to execute Naren Goswami, who was initially a revolutionary but later became an approver. They carried out their instructions on 31 August 1908 and shot Naren Goswami dead inside the jail hospital.
Trial of Kanailal Dutta
On 21 October 1908, the High Court announced its judgment by giving sentence of death to both the accused. Kanailal Dutta appeared to be completely peaceful and calm over the event. The death sentence was conducted on 10 November 1908 in the Alipore Jail at 7 in the morning.
