Raipur (Chhattisgarh): Vanar Sena of Raipur in Chhattisgarh had a stellar role in India's fight against British subjugation. The guerilla style of attacking the British soldiers and their vanishing act into the cramped lanes and alleys of Raipur became troublesome for troops in controlling them. Earlier, the British soldiers were unknown or failed to understand that child volunteers were involved in pasting posters or bills on the walls, sending messages to underground freedom fighters as well as mobilising people to take part in the Indian freedom movement. They were foot soldiers of the Indian War of Independence.
The founder of the Vanar Sena was the 14-year-old Baliram Dubey Azad. His original name was Baliram Dubey and suffixed Azad to his name because he was very much influenced by the freedom fighter Chandrasekhar Azad. The purpose of the child foot soldiers was to share and exchange information among freedom fighters, pasting posters or bills related to the freedom struggle, besides holding small meetings to chalk out the strategy for the future course of action.
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Recalling the child volunteers' role in the country's freedom movement, historian Acharya Ramendra Nath Mishra, said, "Baliram Dubey Azad was the leader of the Vanar Sena. The volunteers were of tender age, but their role in India's fight against Independence was immense. Members of the Vanar Sena used to take out rallies and whenever British police appeared on the scene they vanished from the spot, taking refuse in lanes and alleys of Raipur. Previously, the British soldiers were ignorant about their activities. But, when they came to know about their handiwork, child volunteers were picked up by the British police and they were dropped at 10 to 15 km from the town as punishment."
In India's freedom struggle, the Monkey Brigade was so active that they used to raise slogans after seeing the British soldiers. Upset over their activities, Britishers started taking action against the volunteers of the Vanar Sena. The British soldiers began baton-charging them and also put them behind bars. On August 28, 1932, along with seniors, Baliram Azad and Ramadhar Nai were arrested and sent to jail for nine months. Earlier on March 13, 1932, Baliram Dubey Azad was arrested by the British police while delivering a speech and he was severely beaten with a cane.
