Remains of soldiers killed during 1857 uprising found

Skeletal remains of at least 22 martyrs have reportedly been dug up from Kalianwala Khoo, a well in Ajnala tehsil where the bodies of more than 200 Indian soldiers were buried during the 1857 uprising.

As a tribute to the martyrs, the management of Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj and historian Surinder Kochhar decided in January last year to excavate the well. Local NGOs and gurdwara management committees are involved in the digging work. Kocchar said the remains were found Friday after digging up to 11 feet. The excavation will continue on Saturday.

Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj is located above the site where the soldiers were buried in the well named Kalianwala Khoo by the British. About 500 soldiers had revolted at Mian Mir Cantonment in Lahore during the 1857 mutiny and swam across the Ravi to reach Ajnala town of Amritsar. Of them, 218 were killed by British soldiers at Dadian Sofian village near here, local NGOs said.