Lokenath Bal
Encyclopedia
Lokenath Bal (8 March 1908 – 4 September 1964) was an Indian independence activist
and a member of the armed resistance movement led by Surya Sen
, which carried out the Chittagong armoury raid
in 1930. Later, he joined the Indian National Congress
. After the Indian independence, he worked as an administrative officer in the Calcutta Corporation
till his death.
in Bengal Province of British India. His father's name was Prankrishna Bal. On 18 April 1930, a group of revolutionaries led by him took over the AFI
armoury. Later, on 22 April 1930, he led another gunfight with a combined forces comprising the British army and the British police. His younger brother Harigopal Bal
(Tegra) and another 11 revolutionaries died in this gunfight. He was able to escape and reach Chandernagore, a French territory. He was arrested on 1 September 1930 after a gunfight with the British police. Jiban Ghoshal, his associate died in this gunfight. He was sentenced to transporatation for life on 1 March 1932 and sent to the Cellular Jail
in Port Blair
. After his release in 1946, he joined the Radical Democratic Party
founded by Manabendra Nath Roy
. Later, he joined the Indian National Congress.
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
and a member of the armed resistance movement led by Surya Sen
Surya Sen
Surya Sen was a prominent Bengali freedom fighter, an Indian independence activist and the chief architect of anti-British freedom movement in Chittagong, Bengal...
, which carried out the Chittagong armoury raid
Chittagong armoury raid
The Chittagong armoury raid was an attempt on April 18, 1930 to raid the armoury of police and auxiliary forces from the Chittagong armoury in Bengal province of British India, by armed revolutionaries led by Surya Sen....
in 1930. Later, he joined the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. After the Indian independence, he worked as an administrative officer in the Calcutta Corporation
Kolkata Municipal Corporation
Kolkata Municipal Corporation is responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Kolkata. The organization is known, in short, as KMC . This civic administrative body administers an area of 185 sq. km. Its motto, Purosree Bibardhan, is inscribed on its emblem in Bengali...
till his death.
Early life and independence movement
Lokenath Bal was born in Dhorla village of Chittagong DistrictChittagong District
Chittagong District is a district located in the south-eastern region of Bangladesh. It is a part of the Chittagong Division. The port city of Chittagong, second largest city in Bangladesh, is located in this district.-History:...
in Bengal Province of British India. His father's name was Prankrishna Bal. On 18 April 1930, a group of revolutionaries led by him took over the AFI
Auxiliary Force (India)
The Auxiliary Force was a part-time, paid volunteer organisation within the Indian Army in British India. Its units were entirely made up of European and Anglo-Indian personnel....
armoury. Later, on 22 April 1930, he led another gunfight with a combined forces comprising the British army and the British police. His younger brother Harigopal Bal
Harigopal Bal
Harigopal Bal or Baul was a Bengali revolutionary who took part in revolutionary activities against British rule in India....
(Tegra) and another 11 revolutionaries died in this gunfight. He was able to escape and reach Chandernagore, a French territory. He was arrested on 1 September 1930 after a gunfight with the British police. Jiban Ghoshal, his associate died in this gunfight. He was sentenced to transporatation for life on 1 March 1932 and sent to the Cellular Jail
Cellular Jail
The Cellular Jail, also known as Kālā Pānī , was a colonial prison situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The prison was used by the British especially to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago...
in Port Blair
Port Blair
Port Blair is the largest town and a municipal council in Andaman district in the Andaman Islands and the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India...
. After his release in 1946, he joined the Radical Democratic Party
Radical Democratic Party (India)
Radical Democratic Party, political party in India which existed at the time of the Second World War. RDP evolved out of the League of Radical Congressmen, which had been founded in 1939 by former Communist International leader M.N. Roy. Roy founded RDP in 1940 with the purpose of engaging India in...
founded by Manabendra Nath Roy
Manabendra Nath Roy
Manabendra Nath Roy , born Narendra Nath Bhattacharya and popularly known as M. N. Roy, was an Indian nationalist revolutionary and an internationally known radical activist and political theorist. Roy was a founder of the Communist Parties in both Mexico and India and was a delegate to...
. Later, he joined the Indian National Congress.