1947 Amritsar train massacre

Massacre

On Monday, 22 September 1947, a train was leaving 30 miles east from Amritsar and was attacked by Sikhs. This attack was repulsed. Trains carrying Sikh troops did pass by during the attack, but they did not intervene. However, when the same train arrived at Amritsar, crowds of armed Sikh people opened fire at it from both sides of the track. Hindu Jats, the train's escorts, were ordered by the commanding British officer to shoot at the attackers but they deliberately missed the attackers. The commanding officer of the train was left alone to fend for the train. He reportedly shot back at the raiders with a machine gun until it ran out of ammunition. He was killed soon after, reportedly by his own men. Men, women, and children were attacked by Sikhs who swept through the train. The weapons used by the Sikhs during the three hour attack included swords, spears and rifles. The next day, the train was returned to its platform.