Direct Action Day riots

E931458

The Direct Action Day riots were a massive outbreak of communal violence in Calcutta in August 1946, primarily between Hindus and Muslims, that marked a critical escalation in the tensions leading up to the partition of India.

All labels observed (2)

Label Occurrences
Calcutta riots of 1946 1
Direct Action Day riots canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf communal riot
historical event
mass violence
alsoKnownAs Calcutta riots of 1946
Great Calcutta Killings
calledBy Muhammad Ali Jinnah
casualties thousands injured
cause Muslim League call for Direct Action Day
communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims
failure of the Cabinet Mission Plan
political deadlock over independence and partition
chiefMinisterOfBengalAtTime Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
commemoratedAs Direct Action Day
country India (pre-independence)
linked to: British India
deathTollEstimate over 4,000 people killed
displacement tens of thousands displaced
endDate 1946-08-19
followedBy Bihar riots of 1946
Noakhali riots
widespread communal violence in 1946–1947
governorAtTime Frederick Burrows
historicalSignificance major turning point before Partition of India
one of the deadliest riots in pre-independence India
impact sharpened Hindu-Muslim polarization
strengthened demand for partition
undermined prospects of a united India
involvedAuthority British colonial administration
Calcutta police
linked to: Calcutta Police
involvedOrganization All-India Muslim League
Indian National Congress
location Bengal Presidency
British India
Calcutta
mainParticipants Hindus
Muslims
month August 1946
organizedBy All-India Muslim League (for Direct Action Day)
partOf Indian independence movement
events leading to Partition of India
perpetrators Hindu mobs
Muslim mobs
politicalContext demand for Pakistan
end of British colonial rule in India
precededBy Cabinet Mission negotiations
relatedEvent Independence of India in 1947
Partition of India
religiousNature communal
startDate 1946-08-16
target Hindu civilians
Muslim civilians

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Great Calcutta Killings alsoKnownAs Direct Action Day riots
Direct Action Day riots alsoKnownAs Calcutta riots of 1946
linked to: Direct Action Day riots