Mangal Pandey was a soldier in the army of the East India Company. It was during this period, new rifles, whose cartridges were greased using animal fat, were introduced. Like his compatriots, Mangal Pandey refused to use the greased cartridges. This led to an open mutiny on March 29, 1857 at Barrackpore, near Kolkata.

When surrounded by guards and British officers, Mangal Pandey tried to commit suicide by shooting himself, and as a result he was seriously injured. Ultimately, he was hanged on April 8, 1857.