Revolutionary freedom fighter Pritilata Waddedar was born on this day.
She was born in Chittagong, now in Bangladesh. Studying at a Chittagong school she was inspired by the idea of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. Waddedar later studied at Dhaka and then at Bethune College in Kolkata and began to teach at a Chittagong school.
She wanted to join the Independence movement and became a part of Surya Sen’s revolutionary group that had carried out the Chittagong Armoury Raid in 1930. In 1932, Sen masterminded an attack on Pahartali European Club in Chittagong, which bore the infamous sign “Dogs and Indians not allowed”.
Fellow revolutionary Kalpana Datta had been arrested seven days before the attack and Waddedar was put in charge.
On September 24, 1932, Waddedar, dressed as a Punjabi man, led the attack of the revolutionary group. About 40 people were inside the club. The revolutionaries set the building on fire and began to shoot. One woman among the club guests died and several persons were injured.
The revolutionaries were caught by the police. Waddedar was shot in the leg. She swallowed a cyanide and killed herself to avoid arrest.
