On March 23, 1931, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru were arrested and put on trial for the murder of John Saunders. During the trial, Bhagat Singh declared, "The struggle of today is not of individuals but of the masses; not of one or two but of crores of people." His statement stunned the British court and made headlines across the country. Despite the opportunity to plead for mercy, Bhagat Singh chose to face the gallows, stating, "I have not been a rebel for the sake of rebellion. My rebellion is based on the complete and final freedom of India."