Siraj-ud-Daulah, the defeated Nawab of Bengal, was murdered on the night of July 2. He had been defeated by the British forces led by Robert Clive at the Battle of Plassey on June 23.

The British forces had been supported by Mir Jafar, Siraj’s general, who betrayed the Nawab, and the financially powerful Jagat Seth family, which was afraid of losing its wealth to the Nawab. Siraj fled to Murshidabad, the Nawab’s seat, after his defeat, but left again to escape towards Patna by boat.

On June 29, Mir Jafar was placed on the Murshidabad throne by Clive. On July 2, Siraj was caught in Rajmahal and handed over to the local governor, who handed Siraj over to Miran, Mir Jafar’s son. Miran had Siraj executed that night. His remains were paraded the next morning in Murshidabad.

A year earlier, in June 1756, Siraj had defeated the British and captured Fort William in Calcutta. The city had then been named Alinagar by Siraj after his grandfather Nawab Alivardi Khan.