Barrackpur Mutiny of 1824

Barrackpur mutiny of 1824

During the first Anglo Burmese war, there was a dress rehearsal of the Mutiny of 1857 at Barrackpur in 1824.

• It’s worth note that Barrackpur is best known for two mutinies; one in 1824 and another in 1857 in which India got its one of the most cherished heroes of war of independence Mangal Pandey.
  

But 3 decades earlier, the First mutiny in Barrackpur occurred on Novermber 1-2, 1824. The reasons were the same. Indians were made to feel by the British as inferior and their demands were handled in insensitive manner.

As per the records, the 26th, 47th and 62th battalions of the Native Infantry of the Bengal army were ordered to March to Chittagong and from there to board the ships to reach Rangoon to participate in the First Anglo Burmese War in October 1824.

• In those days the higher caste Indian Sepoys had taboo of going by sea, which was called “Kaala Paani”.
  

But, even till Chittagong, to take their belongings there were no bullocks. The complaints of the sepoys was not conspired. The result was that the soldiers forbade going on the march unless the emoluments are increased and provided means to carry their belongings.

In the Barrackpur cantonment, which was set up in 1765, the British refused these demands. The sepoys revolted and drove away the British Officers. For 2 days the cantonment was under the sepoys which were led by one hero – Binda.

The British approached and asked the Sepoys to surrender on a condition that their reasonable demands would be considered later. But they rejected. The European troops launched a full scale assault on the Indian sepoys and they were overpowered.

• 200 Indian Sepoys were killed.
  
• Binda and other leaders were captured and executed.
  
• Binda was killed and his body was tied in chains and hung on a papal tree, his dead body allowed to rot for two days
  
• The chilling message was sent to the Sepoys, who had ever thought of rebellion.
  

Binda was a hero but now not many people know about his martyrdom. There is a temple in Barrackpur on that site, where his body was hung , known as Binda Baba Temple. The deity of this temple is Lord Hanuman.