Sher Ali Afridi

Sher Ali Afridi (The Hero)

The assassination of Viceroy Lord Mayo by an Afridi convict in Andaman Islands (known in India as Kala Paani – Black Water) was also not due to some grand nationalist ideology but simple Pushtun code of honour was at stake. The attacker Sher Ali had served loyally and bravely in a cavalry regiments  and served during the 1857 Rebellion in Rohilkhand and Oudh. He then joined Peshawar Mounted Police and fought bravely in Ambela Campaign saving the lives of British officers twice. Sher Ali had a blood feud and killed a man in British territory not in tribal area. He was found guilty by Deputy Commissioner and sentenced to transportation for life to the Andaman Islands. Sher Ali addressing the court, narrated all his services to British strangely enough not to beg for his life but for a death sentence rather than transportation to Black Water. It was a dishonour for a Pushtun to be sentenced to life imprisonment. Death penalty will be an honour. The British officer considering the loyal services of the accused was avoiding the capital punishment but the accused himself was demanding a death penalty. When he was told that he would be sent to Black Water, he said, “You will hear of me again, and so will my people”. Surely, everybody all over India and abroad heard him when he killed the British Viceroy of India, Richard Bourke, the 6th Earl of Mayo, who had stopped off to visit the convict settlement at the Andaman Islands.

Sher Ali Afridi in prison

In "Sarguzasht e Mujahideen", Maulana Ghulam Rasool Mahar explains the incident in great detail:

"Sher Ali was a man who would come down to anything to fulfill his ambitions. On one occasion, he had broken his heavy chains and handcuffs that were meant to restrain him and injured a prison guard after snatching his rifle.

After killing the viceroy, he was asked by the courts about who had hired him to do this job. He would simply reply that I killed him by the Order of Allah!"

Lord Mayo

Sher Ali was again tried for murder and was given the death penalty once again. On the 11th of March 1873, when he was brought to the gallows, there was a look of satisfaction in his eyes. He kissed the rope from which he would be hanged and exclaimed, "When I made this intention [of killing the viceroy], I had already envisioned myself over here". He addressed the Muslims who had come to watch the penalty being enforced, "Brothers, I killed your enemy. You be witness that I am a Muslim." With this, he recited the Kalma Shahadah. Twice he was able to complete it. The third time, he was not able to do so because of suffocation.

Sher Ali Khan Afridi

The assassination of Viceroy Lord Mayo by an Afridi convict in Andaman Islands (known in India as Kala Paani – Black Water) was also not due to some grand nationalist ideology but simple Pushtun code of honour was at stake. 

The attacker Sher Ali had served loyally and bravely in a cavalry regiment and served during the 1857 Rebellion in Rohilkhand and Oudh. He then joined Peshawar Mounted Police and fought bravely in Ambela Campaign saving the lives of British officers twice. Sher Ali had a blood feud and killed a man in British territory not in tribal area. He was found guilty by Deputy Commissioner and sentenced to transportation for life to the Andaman Islands. Sher Ali addressing the court, narrated all his services to British strangely enough not to beg for his life but for a death sentence rather than transportation to Black Water. It was a dishonour for a Pushtun to be sentenced to life imprisonment. Death penalty will be an honour. The British officer considering the loyal services of the accused was avoiding the capital punishment but the accused himself was demanding a death penalty. When he was told that he would be sent to Black Water, he said, “You will hear of me again, and so will my people”. Surely, everybody all over India and abroad heard him when he killed the British Viceroy of India, Richard Bourke, the 6th Earl of Mayo, who had stopped off to visit the convict settlement at the Andaman Islands.

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Posted in: Personalities