Mangal Pandey (1827 - 8 April 1857) was an Indian solider. He was a soldier of the Bengal Army under the East India Company. He was known for actions in the events just after the start of the Indian rebellion of 1857.
Early life and career
Pandey was born in 1827 at Nagwa. It is a village of upper Ballia district in what is now Uttar Pradesh. He was born to a Hindu Saryupareen Brahmin family .
He joined the Bengal Army in 1849. He was a sepoy (private solider) at 5th Company of 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI).
Death
Pandey was part of the revolution against the East India Company. They rebelled because the Company brought a new weapon. It was called the Enfield Rifle. These rifles had cartridges which were greased with the fats of animals. Many Indian soldiers believed that the fat was made of cows which are a holy animal for Hindu. This lead to the Sepoy Mutiny.
Pandey shot two British officers. He was tried in a military court. He was accused of working against Company. He was hanged on 8 April 1857 at Barrackpore in Bengal Presidency.
References
Other websites
Man who led the mutiny
Further reading
Amin, Agha H., The Sepoy Rebellion of 1857-59: Reinterpreted, 1998, Strategicus and Tacticus Mukherjee, Rudrangshu, Mangal Pandey: Brave Martyr or Accidental Hero?, 2005, Penguin Books (India),