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Khudiram Bose: Why did Judge Douglas Kingsford become a target of him? how he was caught? all you need to know about Muzaffarpur conspiracy case

During his time Bengal was a hotbed of revolutionaries and freedom fighters, and freedom movements were more visible in Bengal than other regions. Reason was being the presence of a large number of British officials in Calcutta which was then the capital of British India.

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khudiram bose

Khudiram Bose, India’s youngest freedom fighter was born on December 3, 1889, and hanged to death in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur jail at the age of 18 for planning to assassinate the British judge Douglas Kingsford. He had executed to death on August 11, 1908.

At the age of 18, Bose, and his friend Prafulla Chaki made a plan to assassinate judge Kingsford. They threw a bomb on a vehicle of the judge but he escaped the attack and unfortunately, two British women Mrs Kennedy, the wife of Pringle Kennedy, a leading pleader of the Muzaffarpur Bar, and her daughter were killed in an unsuccessful attempt to kill judge Kingsford.

Muzaffarpur Conspiracy Case

Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose were chosen in 1908 by the revolutionaries based in Calcutta – Anushilan Samiti to get the job done.  The two young revolutionaries landed in Muzaffarpur in the third week of April 1908 with some weapons. They stayed in a free, charitable inn of a Bihari zamindar at Dharmashala and carefully watched the daily activities of judge Kingsford.

On the evening of 30 April 1908, Prafulla and Bose reached the European Station Club with the bomb and lay ambushed under the shade of a tree in front of the club gate. They went inside the club after the arrival of Kingsford. Both the youngsters did not realize that they had chosen the wrong place for ambushing. It is said that Khudiram and Prafulla had waited in front of Kingsford’s house, not the European Station Club, where Kingsford and his wife were playing bridge with Mr and Mrs Kennedy.

Soon Khudiram was apprehended by the police and hanged to death in Muzaffarpur jail after the trial. He was not afraid when the noose was around his neck while the other accused Prafulla escaped from the scene and shot himself to death before being caught by the police.

Why did Bose want to kill Judge Kingsford?

Bose, an epitome of fearlessness, had decided to kill the Magistrate of Calcutta Douglas Kingsford because of his unjust, biased and harsh judgments on Indian nationalists.

Douglas Kingsford, former Chief Presidency Magistrate of Calcutta was a colonial British judicial officer and was dealing with lots of cases against freedom fighters and revolutionaries in his court in Calcutta.

His judgments on Indian nationalists were not based on merit but on hate and partiality. His inhuman, unjustified and vindictive verdicts against the ”Swadeshi and anti-Partition activists” earned him a bad name and later the people across Bengal considered him ruthless and cruel.

When Kingsford was the presiding judge in a sensational case against Aurobindo Ghosh, editor of Vandemataram and its publisher Bipin Chandra Pal, a young 15-year-old boy revolted against the police who ill-treated the Indians in the court. 

Judge Kingsford, without any remorse or any consideration for the age of the boy,  ordered 15 lashes. The boy shouted Vande Mataram after every lash.

This news appeared on the front page of every newspaper of Bengal that led to resentment and anger in revolutionaries. This act was deeply embedded in the mind of Jugantar group revolutionaries and then they have decided to kill inhuman judge Kingsford.

The local newspapers like Yugantar, Vandemataram, etc run by natives carried lots of news items about the oppressive British rule and their high-handedness in dealing with the natives and giving them scant respect for their free India concept. His antipathy toward Indians was quite well-known and he was highly critical of the Bengali newspaper Jugantar.

What was the situation of Bengal during 19s

During his time Bengal was a hotbed of revolutionaries and freedom fighters, and freedom movements were more visible in Bengal than other regions. Reason was being the presence of a large number of British officials in Calcutta which was then the capital of British India.

Read Also: Khudiram Bose birth anniversary: Lesser known facts about revolutionary freedom fighter who was hanged at 18-years-old

Bengal was first seized by the East India Company in an unethical manner under the direction of Robert Clive. The murder of the Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-daulah was carried out by Clive and his co-worker James Watts. The British had been in Bengal since the later part of the 1700s, exploiting the land, people and natural resources. However, Britain had received vast revenue from the Indian subcontinent and extended, improved their economy at the cost of reducing Indians to poverty. 

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Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth appointed next Army chief, to take charge on June 30

The government has appointed Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, currently the Vice Chief of Army Staff, as the next Army chief. He will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi on June 30.

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June 13, 2026

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The Centre has appointed Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), paving the way for a leadership transition in the Indian Army later this month. Lt Gen Seth, who currently serves as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, will succeed General Upendra Dwivedi upon the latter’s retirement on June 30, 2026.

The appointment was announced on Saturday, with the government confirming that Lt Gen Seth will assume office from the afternoon of June 30. He will take over command after General Dwivedi completes his tenure as the Army’s 30th chief.

Veteran Armoured Corps officer

An officer of the Armoured Corps, Lt Gen Seth was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1986 after graduating from the National Defence Academy. Over nearly four decades of service, he has held a range of operational, command, staff and strategic appointments across the Army.

Before becoming Vice Chief on April 1, 2026, he served in several senior leadership roles, including heading the Southern Command and South Western Command. He has also commanded formations such as the Delhi Area and the XXI Corps during his military career.

Leadership transition in the Army

Lt Gen Seth’s elevation comes as the Army prepares for a change of command at the highest level. His appointment follows his move to Army Headquarters as Vice Chief earlier this year, a role he assumed on April 1.

The Ministry of Defence said the incoming Army chief brings extensive experience from command, operational and strategic assignments across diverse military domains.

With the appointment, Lt Gen Seth is set to lead the Indian Army through the next phase of its modernisation and operational preparedness efforts after taking charge at the end of the month.

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IAF AN-32 aircraft crashes while landing at Assam’s Jorhat airbase, five personnel killed

Five Indian Air Force personnel were killed after an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed while landing at Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam. The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry into the accident.

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June 13, 2026

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An Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft crashed while attempting to land at Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of five Air Force personnel. The accident occurred during a routine sortie and triggered an emergency response at the airbase.

According to the IAF, the aircraft met with the accident during the landing phase at Jorhat. The force later confirmed the loss of five personnel and expressed condolences to their families. A court of inquiry has been ordered to determine the circumstances that led to the crash.

Court of inquiry ordered

The Indian Air Force said a formal investigation will examine the cause of the accident. Officials have not yet disclosed what may have led to the crash, and the inquiry is expected to review technical, operational and environmental factors.

Reports indicated that the co-pilot survived the accident and is undergoing medical treatment.

Personnel who lost their lives

The IAF identified the five personnel killed in the accident as:

  • Squadron Leader Prashant Singh
  • Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar
  • Sergeant Jitendra Sharma
  • Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat
  • Agniveervayu Danish Alam

The Air Force said it stands with the bereaved families during this difficult time.

AN-32’s role in the Air Force

The AN-32 is a twin-engine transport aircraft that has been a key part of the Indian Air Force’s logistics operations for decades. It is widely used to transport personnel, equipment and supplies, particularly in remote and high-altitude regions. India remains one of the largest operators of the aircraft type.

The crash comes months after a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft accident in Assam that claimed the lives of two IAF pilots.

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Delhi records coolest day of June so far as rain and thunderstorms bring relief from heat

Delhi recorded its coolest day of June after rain and thunderstorms caused a sharp drop in temperatures. IMD has forecast more showers and gusty winds before temperatures begin rising again.

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2 days ago

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June 13, 2026

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Delhi weather today

Delhi witnessed its coolest day of June so far after widespread rain and thunderstorm activity caused temperatures to drop significantly across the national capital. The change in weather provided much-needed relief from the intense summer heat that had gripped the region in recent weeks.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rain and thunderstorms over the past 24 hours brought a noticeable decline in both maximum and minimum temperatures. Official weather observations showed that Delhi’s maximum temperatures fell well below normal levels, while several areas experienced strong winds and rainfall.

More rain and thunderstorms likely

The IMD has forecast additional thunderstorms, light to moderate rain and gusty winds for Delhi and nearby areas through Saturday. A yellow alert remains in place, with weather conditions expected to stay unsettled before gradually improving.

Weather experts have attributed the recent change to the influence of a western disturbance and associated weather systems affecting northwestern India. While the disturbance is gradually moving away, its impact is expected to continue for a short period.

Temperatures may rise again next week

Meteorologists expect the pleasant conditions to last for another couple of days. After that, temperatures are likely to begin rising again as rainfall activity decreases. The IMD’s latest forecast also indicates a gradual increase in temperatures by the middle of next week.

Recent weather systems have brought relief not only to Delhi but also to parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and other northern states, where thunderstorms and rain have helped ease heatwave conditions.

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