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What happened at Meerut on May 10, 1857?

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Illustration of De Kantzow defending the treasury at Mainpuri during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, showing a British officer confronting armed sepoys inside a building as tensions rise during the uprising. — Indian Rebellion of 1857 Indian sepoys (soldiers) corner a British officer amid their attack on a treasury in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh.

On May 10, 1857, the Indian Rebellion of 1857 began in Meerut when sepoys—Indian soldiers serving the British East India Company—mutinied against their officers.123

The uprising was triggered by deep-seated tensions regarding the introduction of the new Enfield rifle. Soldiers were required to bite off the tips of cartridges purportedly greased with beef and pork fat, which offended the religious sensibilities of both Hindu and Muslim troops. When soldiers refused to use the ammunition, they were placed in irons; their comrades subsequently rescued them, killed their British officers, and marched toward Delhi.34

Upon reaching Delhi, the mutineers were joined by the local garrison. By the following day, they had secured the city and the Mughal fort, proclaiming the aged Bahādur Shāh II as their leader. This event served as the catalyst for a widespread revolt across northern and central India, marking a pivotal moment in the history of British rule in India.341