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The Vellore Mutiny (July 10, 1806) was the first instance of a mutiny by Indian sepoys against the British East India Company. It predates even the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 by half a century. The revolt, which took place in the South Indian town of Vellore, was rather brief but brutal, as mutineers broke into the Vellore fort and killed or injured 200 British troops, before they were subdued by reinforcements from nearby Arcot.

The reasons for the mutiny revolved mainly around resentment against changes in sepoy dress code in November 1805. Hindus were prohibited from wearing religious marks on their foreheads and Muslims were required to shave their beard and trim their moustache. This created a strong resentment among the soldiers. In May 1806, some revolting soldiers were sent to Fort St. George. Two soldiers — a Hindu and a Muslim — were given 900 lashes each and their services terminated. Nineteen soldiers were punished with 500 lashes each and forced to seek pardon from the East India Company.

The rebellion was also instigated by the sons of the defeated Tippu Sultan, imprisoned at the Vellore fort since 1799. One of Tipu Sultan's daughters was to be married on July 9 1806, and the plotters of the uprising gathered at the fort under the pretext of attending the wedding. Two hours after midnight, on July 10, the sepoys surrounded the fort and killed most of the British. The rebels seized control by dawn, and raised the flag of the Mysore Sultanate over the fort. Tipu's second son Fateh Hyder was declared King.

However, a British Officer escaped, and alerted the garrison in Arcot. Nine hours later, the British 19th Light Dragoons, led by Sir Rollo Gillespie, and the Madras Cavalry entered the fort through gates that had not been fully secured by the sepoys. Nearly 350 of the rebels were killed, and another 350 injured before the fighting had stopped. Some accounts have it that 800 rebels died.

After the incident the incarcerated royals were transferred to Calcutta. The Governor of Madras, William Bentinck, was recalled, and the controversial interference with social and religious customs of the sepoys was abolished, as was flogging.

The British East India Company had paid little heed to the grievances of the sepoys. However they learnt little from this incident, general resentment culminating in the Mutiny of 1857, when similar circumstances of ignoring native sentiments nearly cost them the whole of India.

It is also interesting to note that the mutineers in Vellore planned to bring back the sons of Tippu Sultan to power, just as the mutiny in 1857 attempted to restore Mughal rule by re-instating Bahadur Shah as Emperor of India.

• More about Madras Army and Vellore mutiny
• Colonial British perspective on the Sepoy Mutiny at Vellore Fort
• Memorial to H. M. 69th Regiment, who defended Vellore Fort during the uprising, at Church of South India Cemetery, Vellore
• Tamils dispute India mutiny date