On 21st of December, 1909 , A M T (Arthur Mason Tippetts) Jackson the magistrate at Nasik was enjoying a theater where a drama was staged in his honor on the evening of his transfer.
A young man of Abhinav Bharat Society named Ananat Laxman Kanhere shot this indologist and “pandit” Jackson dead, in the theatre.
The murder created a great deal of sensation in Nashik, Pune and Mumbai and it even created consternation in the ranks of Indian Nationalists, because of Jackson’s reputation as a very sympathetic and popular district officer.
The reason is thought to be that Jackson was aware of activities carried by Abhinav Bharat Society which were seditious (as defined by the British Indian government).
The arrest of Babarao Savarkar for printing a 16-page book of songs of Kavi Govind and his prosecution was the last straw. Jackson was instrumental in getting Babarao arrested and prosecuted and he had also committed Ganesh Savarkar (an Indian freedom-fighter and elder brother of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar ) to trial.
A group headed by Krishnaji Karve decided to eliminate Jackson in the first month of 1910. However, by the end of 1909, Jackson was promoted to the post of Commissioner of Mumbai. Krishnaji Karve, Vinayak Deshpande, and Anant Kanhere decided to eliminate Jackson before his transfer.
Anant Kanhere took responsibility for killing Jackson and decided to commit suicide by poison to avoid capture and save his other partners. However he couldn’t kill himself as he was captured by police. He used pistol sent by Veer Savarkar from london.
Anant Kanhere, then 18 years old, Krishnaji Karve and Vinayak Deshpande were prosecuted in Bombay court and hanged in the Thane prison on 19 April 1910, a mere four months after Jackson was killed.
This sensational murder is known as Nasik Conspiracy Case. 27 members of the Abhinav Bharat Society were convicted and punished. Ganesh Savarkar, brother of VD Savarkar was sent to Kala Pani.