An excerpt from an Opinion piece that appeared in The Hindu (January 31, 1948)
Gandhiji shot dead
Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, was shot at 5-12 p.m. to-day and he died fifteen minutes later. Gandhiji left his room in Birla House for the prayer meeting a few minutes after the conclusion of his talk with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He passed through the garden leaning on the shoulders of Ava Gandhi and Manu Gandhi, grand daughter-in-law and grand niece.
As he walked up the four steps leading to the prayer mandap, a young man, aged about 35, came before Gandhiji and, bending his body forward at a distance of less than two yards, offered pranam. Gandhiji returned the salute, when the young man remarked “You are late to-day for the prayer.” Gandhiji smiled and replied, “Yes, I am”; but just at that moment, the young man pulled out his revolver and rang out three shots from point-blank range, the bullets piercing the frail body of the great leader just below the heart and stomach. Immediately, Gandhiji collapsed; but Ava Gandhi and Manu Gandhi stuck to their place by his side and held him firmly. But that was the last of the Nation’s Father. It was then 5.12 p.m.
The last act Gandhiji did was to lift both his hands as a sign of prayer in the direction of the large gathering which had assembled for the prayer. Thereafter, he was speechless and the loss of blood, at his age and so soon after his fast, made death inevitable. He was beyond medical aid even from the start when shock had its effect. Lord Mountbatten and Cabinet Ministers, including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and others soon arrived. The Ministers present held consultations among themselves as to the future course of action.
The report goes on to state that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who had just returned from Amritsar did not have a chance to meet Gandhiji. He addressed the huge gathering at Birla House. But he was too grief stricken and broke down while speaking.
The assassin was caught by the people and was beaten, before the police could take him into custody. The assasin’s name was Nathuram Vinayak Godse, he was 36 years old and “described himself as the Editor of a daily paper called Hindu Rashtra published in Laxmipet, Poona”.
After the attack
Later, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the nation by radio: “Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives, and there is darkness everywhere, and I do not quite know what to tell you or how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more. Perhaps I am wrong to say that; nevertheless, we will not see him again, as we have seen him for these many years, we will not run to him for advice or seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not only for me, but for millions and millions in this country.”
The nation mourned the sudden death of Gandhiji. The funeral procession with more than two million people took over five hours to reach Raj Ghat from Birla house, where he was assassinated. Gandhiji’s body was transported on a weapons carrier, and the engine of the vehicle was not used; instead four drag-ropes manned by 50 people each pulled the vehicle.
