Claim
An image with a text in Hindi that reads, "February 14's truth" has resurfaced with false claims that Indian freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar were hanged on February 14, 1931. The Facebook post in Hindi claims that February 14 should be celebrated as 'sacrifice day' instead of Valentine's Day. It reads, “14 February is celebrated as sacrifice day. Just a few youths are aware of it as on this day execution of Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar was pronounced” (sic) (Original text in Hindi: “14 फरवरी का सच करोड़ों भारतीय 14 फरवरी को वैलेंटाइन दे मनाते हे पर बहुत ही कम युवा पीड़ी इस सच को जानते हे की इसी दिन अमर शहीद भगतसिंह राजगुरु और सुखदेव को लाहौर में फांसी की सजा सुनाई थी आज यह बात युवा पीढ़ी को शायद कम पता है इसलिये इस सन्देश को इतना फेला दो की 14 फरवरी को हर हिंदुस्तानी वेलेंटाइन को भुला कर भगत सिंह, राज गुरु और सुखदेव को श्रद्धाजंलि दे ”)
Fact
The same claim was viral in 2019. BOOM had then gone through historical accounts and found that Singh was first arrested on April 8, 1929, from Central Assembly in Delhi. The trial in this case, which began on May 7, 1929, resulted in Singh being convicted and transported for life. Singh was also later named as a co-accused in the Lahore conspiracy case wherein a British police officer John P Saunders was shot to death. As per Singh's death certificate and other historical evidences, he along with the other two revolutionaries, were hanged to death on March 23, 1931. The Tribune, which covered the trial extensively back then, had reported on its front page on March 25, 1931, the hanging of the three freedom fighters. In his book, the eminent law scholar AG Noorani has mentioned the date on which the death sentence was passed as October 7, 1930. The descendants of Sukhdev had reiterated that the death sentence was announced on October 7, 1930 and he was executed on March 23, 1931. The government of India recognises March 23 as Martyrs' day not February 14.