Draft:Meerut Rebellion 1857

The Meerut rebellion in 1857 was triggered by various factors, including longstanding grievances against British rule, cultural and religious tensions, and resentment among Indian soldiers (sepoys) in the British East India Company's army. The immediate biggest cause of the uprising was the introduction of the new Enfield rifle, which required soldiers to bite off the tips of cartridges rumoured to be greased with animal fat, including cow and pig fat, offending both Hindu and Muslim soldiers' religious sensibilities. When Indian soldiers refused to use the cartridges, they were punished, leading to widespread discontent among the troops. On May 10, 1857, Indian soldiers rebelled in Meerut, killing their British officers and freeing imprisoned comrades This event sparked a larger revolt that spread rapidly across northern and central India, known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 or the Sepoy Mutiny

After the rebels killed their British commanders in Meerut they headed towards Delhi and Delhi came under the control of the rebel forces. The rebels proclaimed Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal emperor, as the symbolic leader of the uprising, and Delhi became the center of the rebellion against British rule in India. This event marked a significant turning point in the uprising, leading to widespread violence and conflict across the region eventually leading to end of company rule in India.