Chauri Chaura incident
One of the main reasons for the closure of the non-cooperation movementThe Chauri Chaura incident, immortalized in the history of India, occurred on 4 February 1922 at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of British India, when a large group of protesters participating in the Non-Cooperation Movement clashed with the police. In retaliation, protesters attacked and set fire to a police station, killing all its staff. This incident resulted in the death of three civilians and 22 policemen. Mahatma Gandhi, who was a staunch opponent of violence, called off the non-cooperation movement at the national level on 12 February 1922 as a direct result of this incident.
Incident
Two days before the incident, on 2 February 1922, volunteers participating in the non-cooperation movement led by a retired soldier of the British Indian Army named Bhagwan Ahir protested against high food prices and the sale of liquor in Gauri Bazaar. The protesters were beaten by local Inspector Gupteshwar Singh and other police officers. Many leaders were arrested and put in the lockup of Chauri-Chaura police station. In response, a protest was called against the police in the market on 4 February.
On 8 February, around 2,000 to 2,500 protesters gathered and started marching towards the Market Lane of Chauri Chaura. They had gathered to protest at Gauri Bazaar liquor shop. Armed police were sent in to control the situation, while protesters marched towards the market shouting anti-British slogans. In an attempt to scare and disperse the crowd, Gupteshwar Singh ordered 15 of his local police officers to fire shots in the air to warn them. This enraged the crowd and started pelting stones at the police.
As the situation went out of control, Sub-Inspector Prithvi Pal ordered the police to open fire on the advancing crowd, killing three people and injuring several others. Reports vary on the reasons for the police retreat, with some suggesting that the constables ran out of ammunition, while others claiming that the unexpected reaction of the crowd to the bullets was the reason. In the ensuing chaos, a large number of police retreated back into the shelter of the police post, while the angry mob moved forward. The mob, infuriated by the bullets in their ranks, set fire to the post, killing all the policemen trapped inside, including Inspector Gupteshwar Singh.
Result
Immediately after this incident, Gandhiji announced the end of the non-cooperation movement. Many people did not find this decision of Gandhiji appropriate. Especially the revolutionaries opposed it directly or indirectly. In the Gaya Congress of 1922, Prem Krishna Khanna and his comrades stood shoulder to shoulder with Ram Prasad Bismil and opposed Gandhiji.
Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya fought the case of the accused of Chauri-Chaura incident and saving most of them was a major success. Out of these, 151 people escaped the death sentence. The remaining 19 people were hanged between July 2 and 11, 1923. In this incident, 14 people were sentenced to life imprisonment and 19 people were sentenced to eight years rigorous imprisonment.