Hijli Detention Camp: Forgotten Jail That Shaped India's Freedom and Became IIT Kharagpur
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| 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. 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;
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| Indushudha Ghosh |
Apart
from them, Leela Roy (Nag), Kalpana Dutta (Joshi), Kalyani Das, Bina Das,
Kamala Mukhopadhyay, Sushasini Ganguly, and Ujjwala Majumder were also
incarcerated here.
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
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