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"If I am to die by the bullet of a mad man, I must do so smiling. There must be no anger within me. God must be in my heart and on my lips.."

– Mohandas K. Gandhi, on January 28, 1948, two days prior to his assassination.

Assassination of Mohandas K. Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, shot at point-blank range by Nathuram Godse, an activist of the Hindu nationalist Hindu Mahasabha. Since 1934, there had been five preceding unsuccessful attempts to kill Gandhi.

Assassination

After the failed attempt at Birla House, Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte returned to Pune via Bombay. With the help of Dr. Dattatraya Parchure and Gangadhar Dandavate they purchased a Beretta automatic and eleven rounds of ammunition at Gwalior and reached Delhi on January 29, 1948. On January 30, 1948, at around 5:10 p.m., Nathuram Godse got close enough to Mahatma Gandhi and shot him three times in his chest at point-blank range. Many have also said that sweets were distributed in Pune and other places of India, when the news of Gandhi's assassination reached them through the supporters of Hindu Mahasabha.

Shri Dharam Jit Jigyasu gave an account of that tragic day in world history to Muni Jaitly, his grandson, in 2000.

Raj Ghat - Memorial marking the cremation spot of Mahatma Gandhi

A press photo published in The Manchester Guardian, February 18, 1948: the ashes being carried through the streets of Allahabad

Previous failed attempts

First attempt

On June 25, 1934, Mahatma Gandhi was in Pune along with Kasturba to deliver a speech at "Corporation Auditorium". They were travelling in a motorcade of two cars. En route, they came across a railway level crossing. The car in which the couple was travelling was left behind and the first car reached the auditorium. Just when the first car arrived at the auditorium, a huge bomb was thrown, which exploded near the car. This caused grievous injury to the Chief Officer of the Pune Municipal Corporation, two policemen and seven others. Nevertheless, no account or records of the investigation nor arrests made can be found. Gandhi's secretary, Pyarelal Nayyar believes that the attempt failed due to lack of planning and co-ordination. Many have alleged that Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte were involved in the attack.

Second attempt

Gandhi's ashes are also interred at the Aga Khan's palace in Pune, where he had been imprisoned from 1942 to 1944, and where his wife and secretary had died.

The second attempt on the life of Mahatma Gandhi may not have been an attempt to assassinate as much as a demonstration of anger by an angry young man. In May 1944, Gandhi was released from Agha Khan Palace prison and soon after he contracted malaria. On the advice of doctors, he took a vacation to Panchgani, a hill station near Pune. During his stay at Panchgani, Gandhi was staying at Dilkush Bungalow. A group of 15-20 young men came to Panchgani after realizing that Gandhi was staying there. This young crowd, led by Nathuram Godse, came through a chartered bus. These youth held a day long protest demonstration, but declined to talk with Gandhi when invited. However, by evening, during the prayer meeting, Nathuram Godse rushed towards Gandhi with a dagger shouting anti-Gandhi slogans. He was unable to reach Gandhi as he was overpowered by Mani Shankar Purohit (proprietor of Surti Lodge, Pune) and D. Billare Guruji of Satara (who later became a Congress legislator from Mahabaleshwar).

The documentary evidence of this attack can be found in the depositions made by Mani Shankar Purohit and D.Billare Guruji before the Kapoor Commission set up to investigate the assassination of Gandhi. However, the Kapoor Commission rejected this theory as many of the close associates of Gandhi were not present during that time.

Third attempt

The third attempt was also a demonstration. However, people who testified before the Kapoor Commission referred it as an attempt to murder. Mahatma Gandhi began his talks with Mohammad Ali Jinnah on 9 September 1944 which lasted for 14 days. While leaving for Bombay from Sevagram Ashram, a group of Hindu activists stopped him. They did not want him to go to Bombay to hold talks with Jinnah. However, these protesters were stopped by volunteers of the ashram.

The leader of this group, Nathuram Godse, was again found in possession of a dagger. The policeman who found the dagger then looked up to him and joked, "Why do you want to kill Gandhi? Let's leave it to the leaders themselves... perhaps (Veer) Savarkar will finish off the job!" At which Godse retorted, "Gandhi does not require such an honour. Even the jamadar (sweeper) is enough for that!"

Dr. Sushila Nayyar testified to this effect before the Kapoor Commission and she considered this an attempt at assassination. This incident has also been portrayed in the film Gandhi by Sir Richard Attenborough. However, it is not portrayed as an attempt to murder but as a peaceful demonstration in which the demonstrators were waving black flags.

Fourth attempt

June 29, 1946, the train carrying Mahatma Gandhi called Gandhi Special derailed between Neral and Karjat stations of Bombay Section. The report submitted by the motorman or driver of the train claimed that boulders were placed on the tracks of the train, with the intention to derail it. The train had crashed into the boulders. The Pune police claimed that the boulders were placed by looters to stop trains carrying goods. The police have not disclaimed sabotage. Since the Gandhi Special was the only train on that route at that time, and there were no goods trains on the section, either before or after, it is highly plausible that Gandhi must have been the target.

By the grace of God I have escaped from the jaws of death seven times. I have not hurt anybody nor do I consider anybody to be my enemy. I can’t understand why there are so many attempts on my life. Yesterday's attempt on my life has failed. I will not die just yet. I aim to live till the age of 125.
– Mohandas K. Gandhi, at a prayer meeting in Pune.

Fifth attempt

On January 14, 1948, Madanlal Pahwa, Shankar Kistaiya, Digambar Badge, Vishnu Karkare, Gopal Godse , Nathuram Godse, and Narayan Apte came to Birla Bhavan (aka Birla House) in Delhi to carry out an attack on Mahatma Gandhi. Except for Madanlal Pahwa and Vishnu Karkare, everyone else reached the venue through the rear entrance in a cab. Surjeet Singh was the cab driver. Madanlal Pahwa tried to bribe the driver at Birla Bhavan, named Choturam, to let him go behind the podium to take pictures of Gandhi. However, Choturam became suspicious and asked Madanlal Pahwa, why he needed photographs from behind, and inquired about the absence of a camera. Madanlal Pahwa just left, having Choturam think he was going back to the taxi; however, he placed a cotton ball enclosing a bomb on the wall behind the podium and ignited it. The bomb went off without creating any panic. The team had left after abandoning Madanlal Pahwa.

On interrogation, Madanlal Pahwa admitted that he was part of a seven member gang who wanted to kill him. The plan was that Madanlal Pahwa would explode the bomb as close to the podium as possible while Digambar Bagde or Shankar Kishtaiyya would shoot Gandhi in the head, ensuing panic and stampede, using the chaotic situation to effect their escape. Vishnu Karkare was to compound the chaos by hurling hand grenades. However, faced with Choturam's suspicious attitude, Digambar Bagde decided not to act at the last minute, and also instructed Shankar Kishtaiyya (who was his servant) to do the same.

Later, Madanlal Phawa led the police to the Marina Hotel where Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte were staying and also to Sharief Hotel where all other gang members were staying. Everyone had left by that time and the police was only able to recover some letters and clothes which had the initials "NVG" on it. By this time they were able to ascertain that the members of that team were from Maharashtra; however they were not able to establish the identity and the involvement of Nathuram Godse.

A group photo of people accused in Gandhi's murder case. Standing: Shankar Kistaiya, Gopal Godse, Madanlal Pahwa, Digambar Badge (Approver). Sitting: Narayan Apte, Vinayak D. Savarkar, Nathuram Godse, Vishnu Karkare

During the Mahatma Gandhi murder trial, Madanlal Pahwa was identified by Mrs. Sulochana Devi, who had come to Birla Bhavan in search of her three year old son (who used to play in the servant quarters). She was the fifteenth witness in the trial, and Surjeet Singh, the driver was the fourteenth witness.

Gandhi and Jinnah in Bombay, September 1944