Subhas Chandra Bose: These are the most prominent conspiracy theories around Netaji's death

Not many freedom fighters have had a lasting impact on India as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Eight decades after his death, there is still a large section of Indians who believe that the founder of the Indian National Army (INA) did not die on 18 August 1945.

Mystery around Subhas Chandra Bose's death

The death of Netaji has always remained a controversial topic, and many have argued that Bose, who was 48 years old at the time, did not die in a plane crash in Taiwan on that day.

CREDIT: BCCL

The mysterious circumstances around his death gave rise to several conspiracy theories that have refused to die down even now.

These range from claims that no such air crash happened on that day to suggestions that Netaji lived in disguise as Gumnami Baba in UP.

Official version of Subhas Chandra Bose's death

According to the official version of events, Bose died on 18 August 1945, when his aeroplane crashed in Taihoku (Taipei). Bose reportedly suffered major burns in the crash and died during treatment. His body was cremated in the Taihoku crematorium on 20 August.

CREDIT: HISTORY PICS

Conspiracy theories

One of the most popular beliefs at the time was that Bose faked his death to escape the British and continued to live in disguise.

Others believed that Bose was killed as part of a conspiracy by the Congress leadership to prevent him from becoming Indian Prime Minister when India became independent.

There are also some who believed that Netaji went missing because he was being held captive by Japan or the Soviet Union.

Also read: Images Of Gumnami Baba's Belongings Deepen Mystery Over His Identity And Netaji

However, the most prominent conspiracy theory was the claim that Netaji escaped the crash and lived as Gumnami Baba until his death in 1985.

CREDIT: BCCL

Investigation into Subhas Chandra Bose's death

Over the decades, three different commissions¡ªthe Shah Nawaz Committee, the Khosla Commission, and the Justice Mukherjee Commission¡ªhave investigated the death of Netaji but failed to come to any irrefutable conclusion.

Shah Nawaz Committee

The Shah Nawaz Committee, which was established in 1956 and headed by Shah Nawaz Khan, a former Lieutenant Colonel in the INA, concluded that Bose died in a plane crash in Taipei. The committee also concluded that Bose's ashes were kept in the Renkoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan.

CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA

Khosla Commission

Justice G.D. Khosla, a retired Punjab High Court judge who was also tasked with looking into Netaji's death, submitted his report in 1974, reiterating the findings of the Shah Nawaz Committee.

Justice Mukherjee Commission

Only the 2005 Justice Mukherjee Commission contradicted these findings. The Mukherjee Commission concluded that while Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is dead, he did not die in the plane crash as alleged, and the ashes are not of Netaji. However, it could not conclude the cause of his death.

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