Hijli Detention Camp: Forgotten Jail That Shaped India's Freedom and Became IIT Kharagpur

Hijli Detention Camp

 

To curb the Non-Cooperation Movement and other revolutionary activities, the British government established a detention facility at Hijli near Kharagpur. The Hijli Detention Camp holds a powerful place in India’s colonial history. During British rule, jails began overflowing as more and more young Indians joined the freedom movement. To manage this growing number of political prisoners, the British government started setting up special detention camps. The first of these was at Buxa Fort in the Dooars region of West Bengal. Soon after, in 1930, the Hijli Detention Camp was established as one of the major centers to imprison freedom fighters by the British Raj to manage the overflow of political prisoner from Bengal and beyond. Hijli was meant to quietly crush the rising revolutionary spirit among Bengal’s youth. Unlike conventional jails, it was a ‘open detention camp’—detainees had no charges, no trials, and no justice. Today, the site is home to IIT Kharagpur, a powerful symbol of transformation –from colonial cruelty to scientific awakening. 

Nearby, there was another detention camp for women, equipped with high security measures. Despite this, Nalini Das and Phani Dasgupta managed to escape in December 1931. They were, however, later arrested and deported to the Andaman Islands.

Revolutionaries met Mahatma Gandhi:

Sarojini Naidu, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, Khwaja Nazimuddin, and Mahatma Gandhi came here to meet the revolutionaries. Trailokyanath Chakraborty wrote, “Mahatma Gandhi came by walking from Kharagpur Station… He wanted us to accept the policy of non-violence, and the revolutionaries accepted his offer…” Gandhiji said that he would come again.

Women of the Hijli Detention Camp;

Indushudha Ghosh 

Indusudha Ghosh was a remarkable figure in India’s freedom movement, known both as a talented artist and a fearless revolutionary. Born on December 3, 1903, in Brajayogini (present-day Bangladesh), she grew up during British colonial rule in India. While studying 'Art' at Shantiniketan, she actively participated in the country’s struggle for independence. She secretly joined the Jugantar Party, a revolutionary group committed to overthrowing colonial rule through armed struggle.

Indusudha bravely supported India’s underground freedom movement by handling dangerous tasks such as safeguarding weapons, distributing secret revolutionary literature, and sheltering freedom fighters on the run. Her involvement in helping revolutionaries escape arrest after an attack on British journalist Alfred Watson, editor of The Statesman, attracted the attention of colonial authorities.

In October 1932, she was arrested by the British police for her revolutionary activities. She was first imprisoned in the Presidency Jail in Calcutta and later transferred to the Hijli Detention Camp, a prison notorious for housing some of India's most determined political prisoners.

In her book Rakter Akshara (In Letters of Blood, 1954), Kamala Dasgupta wrote:

“Indusudha Ghosh, an artist from Santiniketan, came one day. I was not an art connoisseur, but I watched her paintings for a long time... Usha Mukherjee was a daredevil. Anita Sen, Charu Chakraborty, and Nirmala Chakraborty were very lively.”

At Hijli, Indusudha was confined alongside other well-known women freedom fighters such as Suhashini Gangopadhyay, Leela Roy (Nag),  Kamala Dasgupta,Kalpana Dutta (Joshi),Kalyani Das,Bina Das and Ujjwala Majumder were also incarcerated. Despite the harsh conditions of jail life, she continued to nurture her creative spirit—painting, creating beautiful Alpana designs, and cultivating a small garden within the camp premises. Her dedication to the cause of India’s independence remained unbroken during her years of imprisonment, until her release in 1937.

Indusudha Ghosh’s confinement in the Hijli Detention Camp symbolizes the sacrifices made by women revolutionaries during India's fight for freedom. Her story is a shining example of courage, sacrifice, and unwavering determination in the face of colonial oppression.

Hijli Firing:

On 16 September 1931, at the Hijli Detention Camp, police opened fire without provocation. Many were injured, and two detainees died in the incident.

• Santosh Kumar Mitra (31 years, Kolkata) - He was charged with Shankharitola Murder Case and arrested in 1923.
• Tarakeshwar Sengupta (26 years, Gaila, Barisal) - He joined the salt Satyagraha, was arrested and sent to Hijli Jail.

The whole nation erupted in protest against this brutal act by the British police. A massive rally was organized at the foot of the Monument (now known as Shahid Minar), where Rabindranath Tagore presided over the meeting. Deeply moved by the incident, Tagore wrote the powerful poem ‘Prashna’ and also published an open letter to the Viceroy condemning the killings and highlighting the atrocity. He expressed his anguish, questioning how the British could murder young Indians in cold blood the news sent shockwaves across the country. Subhas Chandra Bose strongly reacted to the incident, calling the killings “a national disgrace” and used the moment to rally public sentiment against British rule. Netaji also visited the Hijli Detention Camp to collect the bodies of the two great sons of the freedom movement — Santosh Kumar Mitra and Tarakeswar Sengupta — who had been martyred in the incident.

The Hijli Detention Camp was shut down in 1937, but reopened in 1940 to detain freedom fighters without any trial. It was closed again in 1942, and the prisoners were transferred to other locations. In May 1950, this historic site was transformed into the cradle of modern Indian education with the establishment of the first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Later, in 1990, the original detention camp buildings were converted into the Nehru Museum of Science and Technology, now known as Hijli Shaheed Bhavan.

During the first convocation of IIT-Kharagpur in 1956, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru reflected on this transformation and said: “Here in the place of that Hijli Detention Camp stands the fine monument of India, representing India's urges, India's future in the making. This picture seems to me symbolical of the changes that are coming to India.”

The story of Hijli Detention Camp is a powerful reminder that freedom was never free. It was earned through blood, silence, and resistance behind iron bars. Though often overshadowed by more infamous prisons, Hijli remains a sacred space in India’s struggle for independence. Their sacrifice continues to echo through the corridors of IIT Kharagpur, whispering to every student and citizen: Your future was built on someone else’s courage.

Established by the British to confine political prisoners, Hijli Detention Camp soon became a crucible of resistance, especially during India’s freedom struggle of the 1930s. While other jails like the Cellular Jail and Alipore Central Jail often take center stage in history books, Hijli carries a haunting legacy of young blood spilled and the nation's conscience stirred. To pay tribute to the brave martyrs once imprisoned here, Martyrs’ Day is observed every year on 16 September at this iconic campus.

Colonial Jails and Detention Blogs Link Below:👇

Colonial Jails and Detention Camps of British India: Untold Stories of Resistance

Buxa Detention Camp: Fortress of Forgotten Resistance and Freedom