Birth Anniversary of Shaheed Mangal Pandey:
The Prime Minister paid tribute to the great freedom fighter Mangal Pandey on his birth anniversary on 19th July.Mangal Pandey was born on 19th July, 1827, in the Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. He joined the 34th Bengal Native Infantry of the East India Company’s army at the age of 22.
Mutiny: He refused to use the newly introduced Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle-musket, as sepoys believed its cartridges were greased with beef and pork fat, which offended Hindu and Muslim religious sentiments. On 29th March, 1857, he mutinied and fired at his Senior Sergeant Major. The movement of protest and rebellion came to be known as the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, also known as the First War of Independence. Soldiers of the 7th Awadh Regiment revolted but were suppressed, while discontent spread to Ambala, Lucknow, and Meerut. He was hanged on 8th April, 1857, at Barrackpore, and his regiment was disbanded for showing resentment.
