On This Day: 2 April

2 April in Indian history

• 2011India wins the Cricket World Cup for the second time in history under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.India
• 1755Commodore William James captures the Maratha fortress of Suvarnadurg on the west coast of India.India

2 April in world history

• 2015Six elderly men burgled a safe-deposit facility in Hatton Garden, London, and stole items worth up to an estimated £14 million.
• 2006Over 60 tornadoes break out in the United States; Tennessee is hardest hit with 29 people killed.
• 2004Islamist terrorists involved in the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks attempt to bomb the Spanish high-speed train AVE near Madrid; the attack is thwarted.
• 2002Second Intifada: Palestinian militants sought refuge from advancing Israeli forces in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, beginning a month-long siege.
• 1992John Gotti, the head of the Gambino crime family of New York City, was convicted of racketeering, murder, conspiracy to commit murder, loansharking, obstruction of justice, illegal gambling, and tax evasion.
• 1992Bosnian War: At least 48 civilians were massacred in the town of Bijeljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• 1991Rita Johnston becomes the first female Premier of a Canadian province when she succeeds William Vander Zalm (who had resigned) as Premier of British Columbia.
• 1989Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev arrives in Havana, Cuba, to meet with Fidel Castro in an attempt to mend strained relations.
• 1979Spores of anthrax were accidentally released from a military research facility near the city of Sverdlovsk, causing at least 68 deaths.
• 1975Vietnam War: Thousands of civilian refugees flee from Quảng Ngãi Province in front of advancing North Vietnamese troops.
• 19682001: A Space Odyssey, the epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, premiered at the Uptown Theater in Washington, D.C.
• 1930After the mysterious death of Empress Zewditu, Haile Selassie is proclaimed emperor of Ethiopia.
• 1885Canadian Cree warriors attack the village of Frog Lake, killing nine.
• 1865American Civil War: On the third attempt, Union forces captured Petersburg, Virginia, although Confederate officials and most of their remaining troops were able to escape.
• 1860The first modern Italian Parliament is opened in Turin, following the annexation of Central Italy into the Kingdom of Sardinia.
• 1801French Revolutionary Wars: In the Battle of Copenhagen a British Royal Navy squadron defeats a hastily assembled, smaller, mostly-volunteer Dano-Norwegian Navy at high cost, forcing Denmark out of the Second League of Armed Neutrality.

Born on 2 April

• 1996Zach Bryan, American singer-songwriter
• 1972Remo D'Souza, Indian choreographer and dancerIndia
• 1947Tua Forsström, Finnish writer
• 1942Roshan Seth, Indian-English actorIndia
• 1898Harindranath Chattopadhyay, Indian poet, actor and politician (died 1990)India
• 1792Francisco de Paula Santander, Colombian general and politician, 4th President of the Republic of the New Granada (died 1840)

Died on 2 April

• 2009Bud Shank, American saxophonist and flute player (born 1926)
• 1933Ranjitsinhji, Indian cricketer (born 1872)India
• 1930Zewditu I of Ethiopia (born 1876)
• 1914Paul Heyse, German author, poet, and translator, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1830)

Frequently asked questions

What happened on 2 April in history?

2015: Six elderly men burgled a safe-deposit facility in Hatton Garden, London, and stole items worth up to an estimated £14 million. 2011: India wins the Cricket World Cup for the second time in history under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. 2006: Over 60 tornadoes break out in the United States; Tennessee is hardest hit with 29 people killed. 2004: Islamist terrorists involved in the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks attempt to bomb the Spanish high-speed train AVE near Madrid; the attack is thwarted.

What happened on 2 April in Indian history?

2011: India wins the Cricket World Cup for the second time in history under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. 1755: Commodore William James captures the Maratha fortress of Suvarnadurg on the west coast of India.

Which famous people were born on 2 April?

Zach Bryan, American singer-songwriter (1996); Remo D'Souza, Indian choreographer and dancer (1972); Tua Forsström, Finnish writer (1947); Roshan Seth, Indian-English actor (1942).

Which day is observed on 2 April?

World Autism Awareness Day; International Children's Book Day (International); Thai Heritage Conservation Day (Thailand); Unity of Peoples of Russia and Belarus Day (Belarus); World Autism Awareness Day (International).