Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj Management Committee members said around 500 soldiers had started a revolt at Mian Mir Cantonment in Lahore as a part of the 1857 uprising and swam across Ravi to reach Ajnala. Out of them, 218 were killed by the British at Dadian Sofian village, near here, while the remaining 282 were incarcerated in a cage-like room, where many of them died of asphyxiation. The rest were shot dead before their bodies were thrown in a well, which later came to be known as “Kalianwala Khu”, as the British used to call Indians “kale” (black). 

Management Committee chief Amarjit Singh Sarkaria and researcher Surinder Kochhar said: “We’ve succeeded in bringing out the mortal remains of 22 soldiers after digging 11 feet into the well. We will resume further digging tomorrow.” The digging work took place between 10 am and 5 pm. 

Sarkaria said they had decided to build a memorial of the 1857 martyrs in 2008 and they were making consistent efforts towards achieving their goal. He dubbed today’s development as a major achievement towards their goal. 

Kochhar said the remains of the soldiers would be showcased in glass cabins for about four months, during which they would urge the Union Government to get their DNA test done. Subsequently, last rites would be performed and their ashes would be immersed at Goindwal Sahib and Haridwar. 

About the soldiers

* Around 500 soldiers - Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims had started a revolt at Miãn Mir Cantonment in Lahore in the 1857 uprising and swum across the Ravi River to reach Ajnala.

*  Some of them were shot dead before their bodies were thrown in a well known as ‘Kalianwala Khu’.