१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

BEHAR
Patna, the ideals of Swadharma and Swaraj were really
in unison.¹
When the Sikh army came into Patna, Tayler proceeded
to try and nip in the bud the Revolutionary activities in
the province. The conduct of Waris Ali, the police
Jamadar of the Tirhut district, appeared suspicious and
the authorities suddenly surrounded his house and made
him prisoner. This Jamadar in the English service was
just then writing a letter to a Revolutionary leader at
Gaya, called Ali Karim! On the evidence of the Revolu-
tionary correspondence seized in his house, he was, soon
after, sentenced to death. When he was brought to the
scaffold, he shouted, “If there is any real devotee of
Swaraj here, let him liberate me!” But, before his re-
quest could be heard by the devotees, his lifeless body was
hanging from the scaffold!
The Mahomedan leader, Ali Karim, was also ordered to
be arrested and a European detachment was sent for the
task. When Mr. Lowis, the head of the detachment, came
up to Ali Karim, the latter mounted his elephant and an
exciting race began! But, the spectators soon dropped
their impartiality and exceeded the bounds of fair play.
The neighbouring villagers, seeing the Feringhis chasing
a countryman, began to harass the former, misdirected
them on their way, and, at last, even stole one of their
ponies! The English officer “irritated by fatigue and
despair,” left it to his Indian servant to chase the swift
Karim and returned the next day, not having achieved
his task. The servant also, being an English-hater, let
Karim alone and came back to his master with a
sorry face.

1. “As soon as the Sikhs entered the town, a wild Fakir rushed
   forward into the road and, with savage menaces and threatening
   gestures, reviled them as traitors and accursed....”—Patna Crisis
   by Tayler.
   317