The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on April 13, 1919, wherein thousands of Baisakhi pilgrims were fired upon by the British Indian Army under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer. While British officials declared 379 deaths in the massacre, the Indian National Congress estimated over 1,000 deaths. Dyer later said that the firing was to punish the Indians for disobedience.