Kovai Chose ‘Do’ from ‘Do or die’

The living nonagenarian freedom fighters of Coimbatore can still recollect their active days in freedom struggle, whenever a whistling train chugged along the Kolatheri or Singanallur Lake.

When the father of the nation announced his “Do or die” principle to drive away the British from India, it made everyone in the country contribute something to the freedom struggle. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabai Patel, and Maulana Azad were arrested on August 9, 1942, as they convened a meeting in Bombay the previous day to proclaim a mass protest for freeing India from the British.

The arrest of the leaders ignited the wrath of Coimbatoreans.

At midnight of August 10, 1942, a secret meeting was convened at a farmland called Sokkangali Thottam in Ondipudur with the participation of over 100 comrades. The meeting presided over by eminent trade unionist and freedom fighter N G Ramasamy, decided to derail trains carrying arms and ammunition and set Sulur Aerodrome on fire.

On August 11, 1942, N G Ramasamy and his comrade K P Thiruvengadam received a tip-off from a railway employee at Podanur, who said that a train carrying explosives from the cordite factory in Aruvangadu, would pass along the Singanallur Lake in the midnight of August 13, 1942.

As the freedom struggle was gaining momentum, police suspected a possible protest in Coimbatore and arrested important leaders.

The comrades, who were planning to derail the train, chalked out a strategy and had their leader N G Ramasamy arrested. This was done to divert the attention of police, who might have otherwise, foiled their plan to derail the train.

At midnight of August 13, 1942, a team consisting of 60 members intruded into the narrow mud path along Singanallur tank and reached the railway track. The freedom fighters, then, gagged the security guard and tied his hands. They took the key of the railroad toolbox from him and removed the fish plates.

Hiding behind the branches of the trees near the Singanallur Lake, they awaited the arrival of the train. Around 2 a.m., the train chugged on the track. When it came along the lake, a thunderous noise echoed in all directions, as the bogies containing arms and ammunition got derailed and damaged.

Having done a brave deed against the British government, the freedom fighters K V Ramasamy, K P Thiruvengadam, Perumal Konar, Chinnamma Naicker, Rangasamy Gounder, Sangili Mudhaliar,Kamatchi Pannadi, Mariappa Thevar, Ramadoss, Mechanic Krishnan, Uruma Navidhan, Nallasamy Thevar, Arunachala Thevar, Mari Navidhan, Chinnayan, Shanmugan, Marimuthu Naicker, Narayanasamy Palanisamy and others reached home in the cover of night. 

The next morning Trichy Road witnessed a great posse of police and army men. They arrested whomever they suspected and thrashed them. However, it only strengthened their spirit for India’s independence.