Palghar observed ‘Hutatma Divas’ (Martyrs’ Day) on August 14 by voluntarily downing the shutters of all shops. Five freedom fighters had laid down their lives during the Quit India movement. They were shot dead by the British police at Hutatma Chowk, which is located in the heart of Palghar city. Dr Ujjwala Kale, president of the Palghar municipal council, offered floral tributes on Saturday.
Locals of the area have been observing a voluntary bandh for the past 78 years. All shops and commercial establishments, including hotels, pull down their shutters in honour of the martyrs.
The five martyrs – Govind Thakur, Kashinath Pagdare, Ramprasad Tevari, Sukur More and Ramchandra Churi – all aged between 17 and 20, were shot dead by British cops when Mahatma Gandhi gave the call for ‘Quit India ’ (Do or Die) at the August Kranti Maidan. The British police tried to stop the morcha taken out by the residents of Shirgaon, Dhansar, Tembhode, Alyali, Murbhe, Ucheli, Palmtembhi, Kharekuran, Popurva, Unbhat, Satpati and other surrounding villages of Palghar. However, these five freedom fighters leading the morcha ignored the warnings, and the police fired upon them, recollected Ramakant Patil, a social activist and a veteran Palghar journalist. This spot is now called the Hutatma Chowk, which was built in 1946 in memory of the martyrs’ sacrifice, added Patil.
At 12.39 pm on August 14, when the five men were shot, people from across the city converge at the Hutatma Chowk to offer prayers and floral tributes in the presence of government officials, politicians and the general public, but no speeches are made, Patil said.
The bloodstained tricolour which the martyrs’ carried during the 1942 morcha is still kept in the central hall of the Palghar municipal council to remember their great sacrifice for India’s independence, said Patil.Palghar observed ‘Hutatma Divas’ (Martyrs’ Day) on August 14 by voluntarily downing the shutters of all shops. Five freedom fighters had laid down their lives during the Quit India movement. They were shot dead by the British police at Hutatma Chowk, which is located in the heart of Palghar city. Dr Ujjwala Kale, president of the Palghar municipal council, offered floral tributes on Saturday.
Locals of the area have been observing a voluntary bandh for the past 78 years. All shops and commercial establishments, including hotels, pull down their shutters in honour of the martyrs.
The five martyrs – Govind Thakur, Kashinath Pagdare, Ramprasad Tevari, Sukur More and Ramchandra Churi – all aged between 17 and 20, were shot dead by British cops when Mahatma Gandhi gave the call for ‘Quit India ’ (Do or Die) at the August Kranti Maidan. The British police tried to stop the morcha taken out by the residents of Shirgaon, Dhansar, Tembhode, Alyali, Murbhe, Ucheli, Palmtembhi, Kharekuran, Popurva, Unbhat, Satpati and other surrounding villages of Palghar. However, these five freedom fighters leading the morcha ignored the warnings, and the police fired upon them, recollected Ramakant Patil, a social activist and a veteran Palghar journalist. This spot is now called the Hutatma Chowk, which was built in 1946 in memory of the martyrs’ sacrifice, added Patil.
At 12.39 pm on August 14, when the five men were shot, people from across the city converge at the Hutatma Chowk to offer prayers and floral tributes in the presence of government officials, politicians and the general public, but no speeches are made, Patil said.
The bloodstained tricolour which the martyrs’ carried during the 1942 morcha is still kept in the central hall of the Palghar municipal council to remember their great sacrifice for India’s independence, said Patil.
