British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday expressed regret for the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre by British troops ahead of its 100th Anniversary but stopped short of a full apology.
“We deeply regret what happened and the suffering caused,” May said in the British Parliament.
Troops of the British Indian Army, under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, had fired on civilians who had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh for a peaceful protest on April 13, 1919.
Her comes just three days before the centenary of the Jallianwal Bagh Massacre which occurred on April 13, 1919
As there were few exits out of the ground for people to escape, hundreds had perished in the firing, while dozens had also drowned in their attempt to escape by jumping into a well on the premises.
On their previous visits to Jallianwal Bagh, both the Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms – Elizabeth II and former British PM David Cameroon had expressed deep regrets in 1997 and 2013 respectively.