The Black Hole of Calcutta (Kolkata) was an incident which occurred during June, 1756, at Fort William, following the capture of the Fort by Siraj-ud-daulah. The reason behind the incident was Governor Drake’s insistence of protecting the refugee finance minister of the Nawab who had fled from Murshidabad. Enraged at this, Siraj-Ud-Daulah captured the old fort of Calcutta on 20 June, 1756, and plundered it of more than two millions sterling.

The Black Hole incident happened when the Nawab forced one hundred and forty six British prisoners into a narrow hole measuring 18 by 15 feet. By the morning only twenty-three prisoners remained alive. The account of this incident by one survivor - Howell - obtained wide circulation in England and helped gain support for the East India Company's continued conquest of India.