British police officer John Saunders was shot dead by Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru in Lahore on December 17, 1928. The assassination was planned by the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, who died after a brutal lathi charge during a protest against the Simon Commission. This act electrified the Indian nationalist movement. ANSWER: (B) Bhagat Singh
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In 1928, the death of Lala Lajpat Rai following a violent police lathi charge caused widespread outrage across India. To avenge this “national insult,” the HSRA plotted the killing of James Scott, the officer responsible. However, due to a case of mistaken identity, Bhagat Singh and Rajguru shot John Saunders instead. Supported by Chandrashekhar Azad, they successfully escaped Lahore after the incident. This bold retaliatory act, known as the Lahore Conspiracy, significantly radicalized the youth and marked a shift toward militant nationalism within the broader struggle for Indian independence.