Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev's family members demand national martyr status

The family members of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar, demanded the status of national martyr for them. 

A relative of Sukhdev Thapar said, "Been 70 years since India got independent & they've still not got the status of 'National Martyr'. What can be more shameful than this? They sacrificed their lives for India & govt hasn't even sanctioned a day's leave to commemorate that".

March 23 was declared as Martyr's Day in 1931 to pay homage to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru, the martyrs who infused fresh blood in the fight for India's independence.

The trio fought for India's independence from the British during the imperial British Raj.

Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were charged with the murder of John Saunders, assistant superintendent of police of that time, and were sentenced to death.

The executions were to be carried out on 24 March 1931, but the three prisoners were hanged a day before, on 23 March at 7:30 pm in Lahore Jail.

At the time of their execution, Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev Thapar were just 23 years old. And Shivaram Rajguru was only 22 when he was hanged.