The following timeline presents a chronological overview of the key events before, during, and immediately after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, India, on 13 April 1919, collectively known as the Punjab disturbances.
An early chronology is published in appendix I of the first Hunter Committee report to Edwin Montagu on 8 March 1920.
Early 1919 According to Lieutenant Governor of Punjab since 1913, Sir Michael O’Dwyer, the World War 1 recruitment quota increased from one man in every 150 in 1917 to one in every 44 in 1918 in Gujranwala alone. In April 1919, the chief cities involved in the disturbances in Punjab include Amritsar, with a population of 160,000, Lahore, with 250,000, Gujranwala, at 30,000, Kasur, with 24,000, Wazirabad, at 10,000-15,000, and Lyallpur, at 15,000, in addition to several villages including Akalgarh, Chuhar Kara, Gojra, Hafizabad, Jalalpur Jattan, Malawakal, Manianwala, Moman, Nawan Pind, Patti and Kem Karn, Ramnagar, Sangla Hill, Sheikupura, and Tarn Taran, all with a combined population of under 10,000.
+DateNotes6 February - 21 March 1919Rowlatt Act passed by the Imperial Legislative Council on the recommendation of the Sedition Committee.Saifuddin Kitchlew, a lawyer, and Satyapal, a physician, emerge as key leaders in Amritsar, opposing the Rowlatt Bill and anticipated Turkish peace terms, and join Gandhi's civil disobedience movement through the proposed satyagraha vow.Following two years of absence from Punjab, Miles Irving is newly appointed Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar. 1 March 1919Gandhi publishes a pledge to "refuse civilly to obey these [Rowlatt] laws", and calls for a nationwide complete cessation of economic activity.23 March 1919Gandhi calls for a nationwide hartal to be held on 6 April.29 March 1919Kitchlew and Satyapal address a crowd with proposals of non-violent passive resistance.11 a.m.: Satyapal is issued with a Punjab Government order under the 1915 Defence of India Act prohibiting him from speaking at public meetings or leaving Amritsar.
30 March - 6 April 1919 According to volume six of the unpublished 1920 British inquiry into the disorders, roughly one-third of all hartals against the Rowlatt Act in India between 30 March and 6 April 1919 took place in Punjab. On 30 March, hartals are carried out in Amritsar and Multan for the whole day, and partially at Fazilka and Panipat. The Arya Samaj party secured hartals in Mukerian and Kot Adu, and hartal posters are reported at Karnal. At Mukerian, the hartal is stopped following orders by the District Commissioner.
30 March - 4 April +DateTimeNotes30 March (Sunday)AfternoonHartal and meeting at Amritsar led by Kitchlew at Jallianwala Bagh passes peacefully. Chaired by Kitchlew, other speakers include Kotu Mal, Swami Anubhavanand, and Dina Nath, and Satyapal remains silent. The meeting is recorded by CID.During the hartal in Delhi, scuffles break out between appx. 1 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. Around eight people are killed, and around a dozen injured. Reginald Dyer, then commanding 45th (Jalandhar) Brigade drives through Delhi.31 MarchHartal planning meeting held at Sialkot.Kitchlew and Dina Nath address a mass meeting at Jalandhar, and women anti-Rowlatt protestors hold a meeting at Ludhiana.2 AprilHartal planning meeting held at Ambala.Swami Satya Deo visits Amritsar to cascade a message from Gandhi to preach non-violence ("soul force") for an upcoming hartal on 6 April.Kitchlew and Dina Nath address a meeting at Jalandhar.Superintendent of police at Lahore bans street processions for one month.3 AprilHartal planning meetings held at Rupar, Batala, Gurdaspur, Rewari, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, and Sialkot.4 AprilO'Dwyer applies for Gandhi to be deported to Burma under Regulation III of 1818.Kitchlew, Kotu Mal, Dina Nath, and Swami Anubhavanand are issued with a Punjab Government order (dated 3 April) under the Defence of India Act, prohibiting them from speaking at public meetings or leaving Amritsar.Hartal planning meetings held at Hoshiarpur, Lahore, Karnal, and Sialkot.
5 - 6 April On 5 April hartal planning meetings are held at Amritsar, Jampur, Ferozepore, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Hoshiarpur, Lahore, Ludhiana, Lyallpur, Montgomery, and Karnal. Aubrey J. O'Brien, Deputy Commissioner at Gujranwala, tells the meeting organisers in his district that resulting violence would lead to arrests.
+DateTimeNotes5 AprilAfternoonAmritsar Congress Committee agree a hartal for the next day.Irving receives intelligence that the planned hartal for the 6th is not taking place.5 p.m.Hans Raj, Kitchlew and other Satyagrahis are at Amritsar's Aitchison Park watching cricket, when they decide that the hartal for the next day will take place.Late eveningHans Raj and others walk through the streets of Amritsar beating a drum to announce a hartal for the following day.Irving notes feeling betrayed by the intelligence he received from the Khan Bahadurs and Rai Sahibs.6 April (Sunday)Early morningThe garrison at Jalandhar dispatches Indian troops to Amritsar, giving the city a significant military presence with pickets at the railway station and outside the banks.Armed soldiers line the route from the European quarters to the church.AfternoonWife of Khalsa College's Principal Gerard Wathen, Melicent Wathen, notes in her diary rumours of an imminent rebellion and they decide to bring forward their summer break to the hills.Hartal passes peacefully.Indian barrister Badrul Islam Ali Khan addresses a meeting of 50,000 delegates at Jallianwala Bagh, passing a resolution to revoke the orders issued to Kitchlew and Satyapal.
8 - 9 April 1919 +DateTimeNotes8 AprilConvinced that Kitchlew and Satyapal are part of a larger conspiracy, Irving writes to his superior, Commissioner of the division of Lahore, A. J. W. Kitchin, requesting a larger military presence.9 April Government of India informs O’Dwyer that Gandhi would not be deported, but his activities would be confined to Bombay.A copy of Irving's letter dated 8 April and addressed to Kitchin reaches O’Dwyer.O’Dwyer consults with civil surgeon Lt.-Col. Henry Smith who had come from Amritsar, about the likely impact of deporting the political leaders Kitchlew and Satyapal, and is assured that it would not provoke any disturbance.Hartal, largely organised by Satyapaal, Kitchlew, Dr. Bashir, and Hans Raj, on Ram Naumi passes peacefully. Irving watches it from the porch of the Allahabad Bank and notes that the crowds played him "God Save the King", in addition to chanting for Kitchlew, Satyapal and Gandhi.7 p.m/EveningIrving receives a letter from O'Dwyer ordering the removal of Kitchlew and Satyapal to the furthest end of Punjab.Irving holds a meeting at his house with Superintendent of police in Punjab, John F. Rehill, Deputy Superintendent of police, Plomer, officer commanding the military station at Amritsar, Captain J. W. Massey, and Smith.8.30 p.m.On his way to Amritsar, at Kosi Kalan, near Delhi, Gandhi is given an order dated 4 April requesting that he does not enter Punjab. He carries on and reaching Palwal, he is arrested and taken to Mathura and then back to Bombay.
10 April 1919