Born: 25th June 1869
Died: 18 April 1898
Shri Damodar Hari Chapekar was born on 25th June 1869, at Chinchwad village, Maharashtra as a son of renowned revolutionary Shri Haripant Chapekar. He had two brothers Balkrishna Hari Chapekar (also called ‘Bapurao’) and Vasudeo Hari Chapekar. The brothers grew up with their Krantikari father and got inspired by him. In 1896-97, when the bubonic plague hit India, the government had set up a “Special Plague Committee” whose commissioner was Walter Charles Rand (Indian Civil Services officer) the committee was especially structured for managing the pandemic. Soldiers were brought to deal with the emergency and the crises, to relieve and help people. W.C. Rand appointed over 800 officers and soldiers The actions employed included forced entry into private houses, evacuation to hospitals, and isolation camps (including women) by British officers in public. The government strictly ordered people to pay attention to people’s religious sentiments. Despite orders from the government, some of the officers destroyed people’s properties and also religious symbols. These actions were considered cruel and oppressive by the people of Pune and W.C. Rand ignored many complaints by the people. Thus, to end the injustice tolerated by the common people, the Chapekar brothers on 22nd June 1897 planned the assassination of M.C. Rand shot him and his military escort Lieutenant Ayerst. Both of them died and the Chapekar brothers and their associates were charged with an attempt to shoot a police officer, as well as the shooting of two informants. All three of them (Chapekar brothers) were found guilty and were ordered to hang till death.
