Freedom Fighters at Shahjahanpur

Shahjahanpur has played a very important role in India’s independence movement.
Shahjahanpur made a vital contribution to the freedom movement of 1857. Nana Sahib Peshwa from Bithur, Rani Lakshmi Bai from Jhansi, Shehjade from Delhi, Ahmad Ullah Shah, from Faizabad, and Khan Badahur Khan from Bareilly united here and planned for further actions in the struggle. Unfortunately, Maulvi Ahamad Ullah Shah was killed by British forces in Powayan.
Later Pandit Ramprasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, and Thakur Roshan Singh made major contributions to the Freedom Movement of India. Under the grouping of HRA, they met and planned for the stability of the freedom movement from Shahjahanpur. Kakori is just 90 kilometers from Shahjahanpur. Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaq and Roshan Singh along with Chandrashekar Azaad, attacked the British revenue here. After Kakori Kand, Bismil and Ashfaq were the first among modern revolutionists to be hanged in Faizabad Jail in 1927. Later Bhagat Singh was also hanged by the British.
After Mahatama Gandhi withdrew his support from the non co-operation movement, Pandit Ramprasad Bismil founded the Hindustan Republic Association i.e. HRA. To implement the plan, and contributions were sought. When contributions were not adequate, robbery became the main fund-raising technique.
On 1925 August 9, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Thakur Roshan Singh and Lahri successfully conducted a robbery of British government trasury near the Kakori railway station. On 1925 December 26, 40 persons were arrested in this case. Pandit Ramprasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Thakur Roshan Singh, Jagdish and Banarasi were from Shahjahanpur. A British court decided the case on 1927 December 19. Pandit Ramprasad Bismil was hanged in the Gorakhpur prison, Ashfaqullah Khan was hanged in the Faizabad prison, and Thakur Roshan Singh was hanged in the Malaka (Allahabad) prison.