Every Indian today is aware of Subhas Chandra Bose’s courageous leadership and out-of-the-box
approach during India’s freedom struggle. But did you know that Netaji, as he was lovingly
known to his followers, was a master of disguises and used this potent skill to fool the British
and escape their clutches?
Netaji had been imprisoned in Calcutta in July 1940 and was due to appear before the
British court on January 26, 1941. He wanted to enlist Germany’s help in India’s freedom
struggle, but this was impossible sitting in a Calcutta prison. So, he hatched a plan…
Netaji starts a fast undo death in prison. His health fails and the British government
is forced to grant him bail. On December 5th, they move him to his house, where they place
him under vigilant house arrest with men from the Bengal CID patrolling the Bose residence.
They plant agents inside the house and even secretly use some of his relatives for information
on Netaji.
Netaji starts growing a beard and secretly sends a telegram to his Forward Bloc Party
leader Mian Akbar Shah, who is at the North West Frontier Province, which is in modern
day Pakistan, along the Afghan border. The telegram reads “REACH CALCUTTA-BOSE”.
Netaji also sends for his nephew Sisir and asks him a strange question – “How well
can you drive, Sisir?” The 20-year old Sisir has never even driven to the outskirts of
Calcutta. Mian Akbar Shah boards a night train from
Peshawar and arrives in Calcutta. He takes up a hotel room and visits Netaji
the next day. Netaji tells him, “I intend to go abroad through the tribal territories
of Kabul, Akbar. You have done this before. So help me.”
Akbar advises Netaji to travel to Peshawar by train. Netaji also informs him that he
intends to wear his black sherwani and disguise himself as a Muslim insurance agent. Akbar
suggests a name – Ziauddin.
Over the next few days, Sisir and Akbar buy a brown long coat, broad pyjamas and a black
fez-type coat. Sisir also gets a set of visiting cards printed for insurance agent Mohammed
Ziauddin. Netaji tells his comrades “It is time to rise and do something for the freedom
of our motherland.”
And this is what the trio plan: Netaji would openly announce that he is retiring to the
Rishra garden house of Sisir’s father in order to convalesce. Once there, Sisir would
drive him secretly to Burdwan or Asansol. But they soon realise this plan has flaws.
If Netaji announces he is moving, this would immediately raise the suspicion of the British
and the Bengal CID would be extra alert. The plan is aborted. Back to square one! It is
soon clear to the men that the best approach would be to escape from Calcutta from the
very house Netaji is currently under house arrest in. Akbar leaves Calcutta and returns
to the North West Frontier Province.
Netaji makes an announcement saying he is going into seclusion within the house when
he will not meet anyone for the next few days. The Bengal CID don’t make too much of this,
but another problem presents itself – Netaji’s brother’s pet Alsatian. The dog roams free
in the compound at night to keep the grounds safe. If it is suddenly chained, this will
rouse suspicion. But luckily for Netaji and Sisir, it attacks a visitor and is chained
after that.
On 17 Jan, 1941, Netaji finally decides to go through with the plan. In the dead of the
cold Calcutta winter night, he waits in disguise with Sisir and a cousin. Suddenly they hear
a loud clearing of the throat from the top floor of the house. Sisir checks his watch.
The clock says 1:35.
One of the other cousins has played his part. The three men tiptoe around the back of the
big house to Sisir’s car. It’s a full moon night. So the trio are careful to not
cast any shadows. The cousin places Netaji’s luggage on the front passenger seat and proceeds
to open the gate. Netaji sits in the back but doesn’t shut the door.
Sisir sits in the driver’s seat. The cousin opens the gate and on a very faint count of
three, Netaji and Sisir both close their doors at the same time shattering the calm of the
night. Netaji slides under the back seat. Sisir starts the car and whizzes past the
unsuspecting Bengal CID men who only see Sisir driving alone.
Netaji and Sisir drive off in the wrong direction, avoiding the more convenient Willingdon Bridge
since it has a toll station. They take the Howrah Bridge instead. Ultimately, they get
on the Grand Truck Road and are only relieved once they cross the French post at Chandernagore.
They drive through the night to reach Barari, which is near Dhanbad early next morning.
Sisir hides Netaji at his brother’s house there all day. Once night falls, Sisir, his
brother and his sister-in-law drop their uncle off at the train station in nearby Gomoh.
Back in Calcutta, the next morning it is discovered that Netaji has disappeared.
Rumours start flying in all directions. The rumours keep getting wilder till a week later
All India Radio announces that Netaji has been arrested in Dhanbad. Indians everywhere
are distraught – their hero’s brilliant escape plan foiled; Netaji’s family is heartbroken
that all their efforts were in vain. But the Associated Press of India contradicts the
All India Radio report and says no such arrest happened. The people of the nation are now
confused, but at least there is hope again. So what really happened to Netaji?
After Sisir and his family dropped their uncle off at the Gomoh train station, he did get
on the Delhi-Kalka Mail disguised as the insurance agent Mohammed Ziauddin. On Janurary 19th,
Mian Akbar Shah was waiting at the Peshawar Cantonment Station along with two other Forward
Bloc members – Mohammed Shah and Bhagat Ram Talwar to welcome their friend Ziauddin.
Their tongawallah recommended a good Muslim hotel for the tired insurance agent, so Ziauddin
checked into the hotel. Later, he was shifted to the house of Abad Khan, who was a trusted
friend of Akbar’s.
Back in Calcutta, there is still no solid news of Netaji. People start spinning their
own theories as to his whereabouts. The British Central Intelligence is livid with the Bengal
CID and take away the ‘Bose File’, as the case is called, from them and give it
to the Punjab CID.