Who was forced by Indian troops into the Black Hole of Calcutta?

The infamous incident known as the Black Hole of Calcutta took place on the night of June 20, 1756, in the Indian city of Calcutta (now Kolkata). It involved the confinement of several British prisoners by the forces of Siraj ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal and his troops.

The Black Hole of Calcutta has become synonymous with one particular individual who suffered greatly during this event. That person was John Zephaniah Holwell, the then Deputy Governor of Calcutta. Holwell, along with other British captives, was forcibly imprisoned in a small, cramped, and poorly ventilated cell within the old Fort William, which was commonly referred to as the "Black Hole."

The incident unfolded after the Nawab's forces captured Fort William, which was then under British control. Following the fall of the fort, Siraj ud-Daulah ordered the imprisonment of British officials and soldiers inside the Black Hole as a means of punishment and retaliation for the British aggression in the region.

Imagine the horror that befell Holwell and his fellow prisoners as they were crammed into a space that was designed to hold only a fraction of the number of individuals confined within it. The lack of proper ventilation, extreme heat, and scarcity of water led to a night of unimaginable suffering. By the following morning, when the cell was finally opened, only a fraction of the original prisoners had survived the ordeal. Holwell was among the few who managed to survive the suffocating conditions.

The Black Hole of Calcutta incident had far-reaching consequences. It further strained the already tense relationship between the British East India Company and the Nawab of Bengal, ultimately leading to the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The British victory in this battle marked the beginning of British colonial rule in India.

In conclusion, John Zephaniah Holwell, the Deputy Governor of Calcutta, was among the individuals forced by Indian troops into the Black Hole of Calcutta. This tragic event has since become a symbol of the horrors of confinement and the clash of powers during the colonial era.

Sign Up