5 Rupees- Komagata Maru incident centenary- 2015- Kolkata Mint - Rare

5 Rupees, Circulating commemorative coin, Komagata Maru incident centenary, 2015,  Kolkata Mint, Rare, Nickel brass, 6.0 g

On May 23, 1914, Komagata Maru, a Japanese steamer, carrying 376 passengers from Hong Kong, mostly being immigrants from Punjab, British India, arrived in Vancouver, Canada. It was denied docking by the Canadian authorities. Following a two months stalemate, the Ship was escorted out of the harbour by the Canadian military and forced to sail back to India. The Komagata Maru arrived in Calcutta in September, 1914. The British Imperial Government saw the men on Komagata Maru as dangerous political agitators. The police went aboard the ship on 29th September, 1914 to arrest Baba Gurdit Singh and other leaders. The arrest was resisted by the passengers, which led to police firing in which 19 passengers were killed. Baba Gurdit Singh escaped along with many others. The rest of the passengers were sent to Punjab.