The police had indeed made elaborate arrangements for the safety of the procession of the Lord and the Lady Harding through the Chandni Chowk bazaar of Delhi. The procession entered bazaar with great pomp and show at regal scale.
The police and the army personnel were lined up on both sides of the road. The women and children were craning their necks loaded on the balconies of the buildings on both sides to catch the glimpse of the great show. The Lord and the Lady were sitting atop a decorated elephant that walked majestically. The packed crowds on both sides of the road were wildly cheering.
Suddenly, a blast was heard. The bodyguard and the personal valet of the Viceroy were flung away to death. The Viceroy and his Lady escaped unhurt.
Later, it became known that an associate of Ras Bihari Bose had taken position among women on the side of the road in the guise of a native woman. The bomb thrown by him had done the damage. Unfortunately for the revolutionaries the bomb missed the target narrowly.
It was a rude shock to the British government. The police and the C.I.D. reacted sharply. The blast created a pandemonium. The people were running wildly in confusion and panic. The police nabbed many people on the spot on suspicion.
All the listed and suspected militants were swiftly rounded up and intensely interrogated to ferret information. The police parties fanned out to villages and towns with informers and police dogs in tow. The police dealt with all the arrested suspects ruthlessly. The torture and grilling revealed bits and pieces of information which put together made a broad picture of the conspiracy.
The C.I.D. reached at the conclusion that the mastermind behind the attack was revolutionary Ras Bihari Bose. The prime suspect had gone underground to evade the arrest. He infact was hatching up bigger attacks.
The C.I.D. personnel went to Calcutta, places in Punjab and Benaras following the clues. A huge reward was announced for anyone helping in the capture of Ras Bihari Bose.
Meanwhile, the government had filed a case against Bhai Parmanand. It had dampened the spirit of political activists of Punjab. The administrators of Lahore D.A.V. College had removed Bhai Parmanand from the college ‘Management Committee’.
Lala Lajpat Rai was a worried man. He had the information that Ras Bihari Bose was going from place to place in various disguises planning further attacks. The police had been able to arrest Basant Rao who had thrown the bomb at the Viceroy procession. The police also had arrested Master Amir Chand, Bhai Balmukund and Avadh Bihari as suspects. Bhai Balmukund was the brother of Bhai Parmanand. Lala Lajpat Rai defended his case but failed to save his life who was hanged three years after the incident of the bomb throwing. The son of Lalaji’s close friend Lala Hansraj was also facing trial in another case. Lalaji successfully defended him.
The wife of Balmukund died of heart attack.
Lala Lajpat Rai said, “Friends! Don’t grieve. That is the glorious way the true sons of the motherland go and earn immortality. Their sacrifices should inspire other young people to come forward to die for the cause of the country. The nation will live through their sacrifices. The battle must continue lest their sacrifices should go in vain.”
Amid all these happenings Lalaji continued his social work of setting up schools. He built up several schools in Jullundar district and one in Jagraon in his father’s name.
He took a trip to England too.
For the spread of education he inspired the setting up of ‘Primary Education Board’. The credit for starting hosiery industry in Punjab goes to Lala Lajpat Rai. He also played major role in setting up of ‘Cooperative Life Insurance Co.’ All these activities fructified during the period 1910-1913. He handsomely won a seat in Lahore Municipal elections.
1913 Congress session was held in Karachi. Sir Sayyed Ahmad presided over it. The session decided to send a delegation to England to work for the reconstitution of India House through the office of the Cabinet Secretary for India. Lalaji was nominated one of the members of the delegation.
He couldn’t leave with the delegation due to some urgent business in courts which included defence of Bhai Balmukund. He reached London only on the 17th May 1914. Lala Lajpat Rai pleaded for increase in the number of Indian representation in India House. He held talks with several British political leaders. During this visit an incident occurred which angered Lala Lajpat Rai. It is known as Kamagatamaru episode.
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