Chandra Shekhar Azad’s death anniversary is marked every year on 27 February. News18

Chandra Shekhar Azad died on 27 February, 1931 in Alfred Park, Allahabad after an associate betrayed him to the British. This year marks the 90th death anniversary of the Indian revolutionary.

It is said that at Alfred Park, the freedom fighter managed to keep the police at bay, single-handedly with a small pistol and a few cartridges. However, left with a single bullet, he shot himself in the head, rather than being arrested and dragged to the gallows to be hanged.

Born on 23 July, 1906 in Bhavra village, Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh, he went to Varanasi for higher studies and subsequently became fascinated and was drawn towards the national upsurge of the non-violent, non-cooperation movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

Azad participated in the Kakori train robbery of 1925 along with Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah Khan when he was just 19 years old. He was also involved in the assassination of Assistant Superintendent Saunders in 1928.

When Chandra Shekhar was arrested by the police for the first time and presented before a magistrate, he declared his name as Azad, his father’s name as Swatantrata and his resident as prison. The moniker Azad stuck to his name ever since.

Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu took to Twitter to remember the freedom fighter on his death anniversary and wrote —

Remembering the fearless revolutionary freedom fighter #ChandrashekharAzad on his death anniversary today. An exceptional leader and a true patriot, Azad motivated and inspired many to join the freedom movement. His supreme sacrifice for our motherland will always be remembered.

— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) February 27, 2021

Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted that Azad’s sacrifice teaches everyone to offer everything they have in the service of the motherland.

चंद्रशेखर आजाद को याद कर आज भी हमारा सीना गर्व से फूल जाता है। आजाद को आजाद भारत से कम कुछ भी स्वीकार नहीं था। उनका बलिदान हमें मातृभूमि की सेवा में अपना सब कुछ अर्पण करने की सीख देता है।

अपने शौर्य से इस वसुंधरा को गौरवान्वित करने वाले अजर अमर सेनानी के चरणों में कोटिशः नमन। pic.twitter.com/rKCB2JWwAC

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 27, 2021

Other leaders also paid tributes to him —

My tribute to the great freedom fighter Shri #ChandrashekharAzad Ji on his death anniversary.
Read on Koo: https://t.co/lAE80o2G9z pic.twitter.com/lgqqn4sFY9

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) February 27, 2021

At the age of 24, #ChandrashekharAzad — the face of revolutionary India chose to make the supreme sacrifice rather than being caught by the British police in Allahabad on 27 February 1931. His patriotism and courage inspired a generation to join India’s struggle for Independence. pic.twitter.com/Bg26pBy4WI

— P C Mohan (@PCMohanMP) February 27, 2021