Ashfaqullah Khan: The immortal revolutionary

Ashfaqullah Khan, the great martyr, was born on 22nd October, 1900, in a middle class family of Shahjahanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. His father, Shafiqur Rahman was posted in the police department. His mother Mazharunissa was a woman of great ideals. Ashfaqullah was the youngest amongst his six siblings.

At a very young age, influenced by the Indian freedom struggle, Asfaqullah was filled with patriotic feelings. To give a fillip to their movement and buy arms and ammunition to carry out their activities, revolutionaries organised a meeting on 8th August, 1925 in Shahjahanpur. After a lot of deliberations it was decided to loot the government treasury carried in the trains. On 9th August ,1925 the famous Kakori train robbery was successfully executed and government money looted. Ashfaqullah Khan played a prominent role in the robbery and was consequently arrested and detained in the Faizabad jail. A case was filed against Ashfaqullah. His brother Riyasatullah was his counsel who fought the case till the very end. While in jail, Ashfaqullah religiously recited the holy Quran.

In the end, Ashfaqullah Khan was given the death sentence and on 19th December, 1927 this great martyr was hanged thus laying down his life for his motherland. The mausoleum of Ashfaqullah Khan in Shahjahanpur which has now become a memorial reminds us all of the selfless sacrifice he made for the country.