2409:4060:2D97:31B2:0:0:2748:2510 at 15:51, 2 March 2022

2022-03-02T15:51:39Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
The '''Angamaly Firing''' was an incident that took place in [[Angamaly]], [[Kerala]], on 13 June 1959, when police opened fire on protesters who had been demonstrating against Kerala's [[communist]] government. Seven people were killed resulting in the intensification of [[Vimochana Samaram]], a protest against the then communist led government.

==Background==

In 1957, a communist government was elected in Kerala for the first time under the leadership of Shri. [[E. M. S. Namboodiripad]]. Subsequently, a revolt propagated against the government. At Angamaly, the prime centre of Kerala [[Saint Thomas Christians]],<ref>{{Cite news|others=Special Correspondent|date=2016-01-07|title=Historic Angamaly church to be rededicated|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/Historic-Angamaly-church-to-be-rededicated/article13985695.ece|access-date=2021-04-19|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-04-24|title=Ancient Christians in India{{!}}Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly|url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2009/04/24/april-24-2009-ancient-christians-in-india/2754/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=pbs.org|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2008-04-16|title=Lifestyle of Kerala Syrian Christians|url=https://www.nasrani.net/2008/04/15/lifestyle-of-kerala-syrian-christians/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=Nasranis|language=en-US}}</ref> the intensity of fury was broke into open violence. On 13 June, Saturday, 1959 police mindlessly opened fire on an innocent mob. The innocent mob was fired upon without provocation, yet police killed 7 people in cold blood.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|title=Remembering the Angamaly police firing|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2009/jun/12/remembering-the-angamaly-police-firing-57671.html|access-date=2021-04-19|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> But, the version of Communist government was different, saying that the police was forced to open fire on what they claim was a violent mob, who allegedly attempted to attack the police station.

==Aftermath==

On the next day - Sunday, 14 June - the dead bodies were taken to the nearby town of Kalady, accompanied by a huge crowd. The bodies of the victims were taken out in a motorcade comprising more than 300 cars and buried at the cemetery of the St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Angamaly in a common tomb. This event enraged the people of Kerala<ref name="auto"/> and intensified the [[Vimochana Samaram]].The then Ernakulam bishop Mar Joseph Parekkattil led the funeral rites.

Later addressing a massive gathering, the champions of Liberation struggle like Panampilly Govinda Menon, Wellington, and Mathai Manjooran unleashed a tirade against the EMS Ministry, which led to its downfall {{citation needed|date=November 2015}} Following this, the EMS government was dismissed and the state placed under [[President's rule]], pending elections.

The Communist Party was routed in the re-election that followed.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} The popular slogan- "Angamali kallarayil, njangade sawdharaanakkil, aa kallarayanu kattayyam, pakaram njangal choodikkum"; had then reverberated throughout the state.

The Forane church and its cemetery had for a short period turned into a pilgrim centre of the Liberation struggle activists and became the point from where the ‘jeevasikha’ march, had been led by the legendary Mannath Padmanabhan which culminated in the expulsion of the EMS ministry.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://angamalybasilica.com/template.php?id=35&page=11&catid=75 |title=Archived copy |access-date=6 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204100734/http://angamalybasilica.com/template.php?id=35&page=11&catid=75 |archive-date=4 December 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Commemoration==

The fiftieth anniversary of the firing was observed with a ceremony at the St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church in Angamaly on 14 June 2009. Among the attendees were survivors of the incident, some of whom had been injured or imprisoned in its aftermath. Prayers were said over the graves of the seven victims.<ref>{{cite news
| title = Anniversary of Angamaly firing observed
| date = 2009-06-14
| url = http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/14/stories/2009061458520300.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110616131222/http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/14/stories/2009061458520300.htm
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 2011-06-16
| newspaper = [[The Hindu]]
| access-date = 2009-10-02}}</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{Christianity in Kerala}}
[[Category:Anti-communism in India]]
[[Category:Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly]]
[[Category:1959 in India]]
[[Category:History of Kerala (1947–present)]]
[[Category:1959 riots]]
[[Category:Police brutality in India]]

Angamaly police firing - Revision history

2409:4060:2D97:31B2:0:0:2748:2510 at 15:51, 2 March 2022