Bajiraut
The most spectacular event of Dhenkanal oppression was the sacrifice of 12-year old Bajiraut, who succumbed to the bullets of Dhenkanal forces along with Hurushi, Nata, Raghu, Guri and Lakshman. Nabababu and Malati Devi, from their base at Angul, further accelerated the movement. In January 1939, they had their third child – a daughter named Krishna (Tinu).
In 1940, at the instance of Gandhiji, Nabababu was jailed for six months as an individual Satyagrahi.
On August 8, 1942, Gandhiji gave his clarion call called ‘Do or Die’. This was his last call for the fight for freedom. This had an electrifying effect in arousing the people. Before the morning of August 9, Gandhiji and all the important leaders were imprisoned. Nabababu had already prepared a blueprint for sustaining the fight before going to prison. Youngsters like Surendranath Dwivedy organised the fight from underground. Nabababu was kept in succession at Cuttack, Angul and Puri Jails where he was mingling with all the fellow prisoners, and was organizing them against the misdeeds of the Jail employees.
Nabababu was sent to Berhampur Jail from Puri Jail. On January 26, 1944, some young prisoners hoisted the National Flag. The Jail and Police personnel tried their best to bring down the Flag, but it was a futile effort. Eventually the matter was reported to a District British Executive, who came to the Jail for inspection, and at his orders the prisoners were mercilessly beaten resulting in injuries. Even then they resisted the efforts to dehoist the Flag. The District Executive gave firing orders. Nabababu, on hearing such orders appeared in the scene and stood still facing the gun. The British officer was afraid of him, and withdrew the firing orders. By the end of 1945, Nabababu was released from Berhampur Jail.
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