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Hopkinson made a dangerous plan by preparing a team of informers
Hopkinson arrived in Vancouver in 1907 and was employed by the Canadian government as an immigration inspector and interpreter. Hopkinson monitored the activities of East Indian militants living in British Columbia. In the beginning, he prepared the first pro-British Sikh informers. He had a special eye on the Gurudwaras. His strength had also increased in no time. The informers working for him had little fear that something would happen after being caught. Hopkinson’s chief assistant was a man named Bela Singh. Shortly afterwards, two brothers of Bela Singh were killed. After which he thought of taking revenge.
Soon many informers were murdered
The decomposed body of Bela Singh’s friend Harnam Singh was found in a bush and four days later Detective Arjan Singh was also murdered. On 30 August 1914, Hopkinson’s agent Bela Singh and some other companions came to the Gurudwara with the intention of rioting at the Vancouver Gurudwara, the center of Indian national activities. Hopkinson’s agents in Vancouver were Bela Singh, Babu Singh and Ganga Ram. A prayer meeting was organized for Arjan Singh where around 40 people gathered. On 5 September 1914, Bela Singh again came to the Gurdwara and sat behind the head of the Gurdwara Committee. Suddenly Bela Singh took out his pistol and started firing. In the indiscriminate firing of Bela Singh, 2 people are killed and 9 people are injured.
Hopkinson shot dead in public
The other side knew that Bela Singh would survive as he worked for Hopkinson. Bela Singh was tried and later he was declared innocent. William Hopkinson agreed to be a witness for the defense in the trial of Bela Singh. However, Hopkinson soon came under fire. Mewa Singh, a member of the Ghadar Party, shot Hopkinson, after which Mewa Singh was hanged. Hopkinson was a hero to the British and Canadian governments.
‘I have no enmity, he was harassing the poor’
Hopkinson was shot dead on 21 October 1914 by Meva Singh, the priest (granthi) of the Gurdwara. Meva Singh was hanged. Before hanging, Meva Singh gave confession. It is mentioned in many books that in which Mewa Singh had said before hanging that I had no enmity with Hopkinson, I had heard that he was harassing our poor people a lot. I was a staunch Sikh and could not see my innocent countrymen being persecuted any more.
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