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in: Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, British East India Company Army soldiers, Indian people of the Indian Rebellion of 1857

Shaikh Paltu

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History[]

Main article: Mangal Pandey

Shaikh Paltu (Hindi: शैख़ पलटू) was a soldier (sepoy) with the British East India Company who served in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry in March 1857, shortly before widespread discontent broke out in the Bengal Army. He was the captor of Sepoy Mangal Pandey . When on March 29, Sepoy Mangal Pandey of the same regiment attacked a British lieutenant, Shaikh Paltu intervened to assist the officer and captured Mangal Pandey.[1] The other sepoys of the quarter guard on duty and others present refused to take any action against their comrade and remained as "idle spectators of a murderous assault".[2] When Mangal Pandey was fighting with Baugh, Hewson made an attempt to take Mangal Pandey captive, but he was knocked to the ground. The British officer Baugh ordered Shaikh Paltu to detain Mangal Pandey and promised to reward him if he is successful in capturing Mangal Pandey.

Muhgul Pandey - Mungul Pandey fired at Lieutenant Baugh

Representation of Mangal Pandey attacking a British lieutenant immediately after which Shaikh Paltu seized Mangal Pandey[3]

An English sergeant-major had been first to arrive at the scene but was knocked down by the musket of a member of the quarter-guard. While other sepoys looked on, Shaikh Paltu continued to defend the two British officers, calling upon other soldiers to join him.[4] A number of off-duty sepoys had crowded around the struggle and some abused and struck at Shaikh Paltu. Shaikh Paltu threatened to capture Mangal Pandey if the soldiers didn't support him. But the sepoys kept on attacking him. Shaikh Paltu went extremely close to Mangal Pandey and grabbed him by the waist .Shaikh Paltu put a rope around Mangal Pandey's waist and bound him prisoner. He then held Mangal Pandey by the waist tightly.The other sepoys threatened to shoot him if he didn't let Mangal Pandey go. But Paltu didn't release Pandey and continued to hold him by the waist . Mangal Pandey tried his best to escape but he failed to free himself from the strong hold of Paltu. When the soldiers asked Paltu to release Pandey, Paltu retaliated by saying " Sepoy Mangal Pandey is my property now. I have captured him .I won't release him under any circumstances. I will take him away to my house. I will keep him locked in my house until and unless the British officers ask me to release him ." Saying so, he tightened his grip over Pandey's waist and continued to hold Mangal Pandey by the waist.

The intervention of Shaikh Paltu did however enable Adjutant Baugh and Lieutenant Hewson, both injured, to rise.[5] Some members of the quarter-guard detachment are reported to have attacked their officers with the butts of their muskets.[6] Suddenly, Shaikh Paltu started dragging Mangal Pandey with all his force. He dragged Mangal Pandey by holding him tightly around the waist and brought him to the end of the parade ground. The sepoys tried their best to save Mangal Pandey but in vain . Paltu before leaving the parade ground said , " I am taking away Mangal Pandey to my house. I will keep him locked in my house until the British tell me to release him". Saying so, he dragged out Mangal Pandey from the parade ground. Shaikh Paltu held Mangal Pandey tightly by the waist and dragged him towards his house. He dragged Mangal Pandey and continued to hold him as tightly as he could. Paltu brought Mangal Pandey to his house as a captive and then locked his body with tight shackles. Paltu, then dragged Mangal Pandey to an abandoned room of his house and locked him up .

Major-General J. Hearse, who, with other officers, had ridden to the scene and started searching for Mangal Pandey. Hewson and Baugh told Hearse about Shaikh Paltu's seizure of Mangal Pandey . Shaikh Paltu, who held Mangal Pandey Captive in his house was ordered to bring Mangal Pandey to the parade ground.Paltu held Mangal Pandey by the wrist and dragged him back to the parade ground . Paltu brought Mangal Pandey in front of General Hearsey. Hearsey asked the troops to seize Mangal Pandey and threatened to shoot the first person who disobeyed. Hearsey and the troops came close to Mangal Pandey and were about to capture him.Pandey, who was still kept on tight hold by Shaikh Paltu,shot and wounded himself, and the members of the quarter-guard now obeyed orders. Paltu kept on holding an injured Mangal Pandey . On the order of the British, Shaikh Paltu carried Mangal Pandey to the regimental hospital under guard.[7] After the treatment, Shaikh Paltu came to the hospital and took Mangal Pandey captive . Mangal Pandey was extremely weak and tired to fight with Shaikh Paltu at that moment. He knew very well that it won't be difficult for Shaikh Paltu to capture him . Mangal Pandey surrendered himself to Shaikh Paltu and allowed the Muslim sepoy to seize him. Shaikh Paltu grabbed a weak and tired Mangal Pandey by the waist and dragged him to the prison. General Hearsey thanked Shaikh Paltu and took hold of Mangal Pandey . He dragged Mangal Pandey inside the prison and locked him up .

Aftermath[]

Pandey and the jemander in command of the guard were subsequently court-martialed and executed. Shaikh Paltu and General Hearsey made false allegations against Mangal Pandey and accused him falsely. Shaikh Paltu trapped Mangal Pandey in such a way, that Mangal Pandey failed to prove his innocence . The court ordered not to release Mangal Pandey and execute him as early as possible. 34th Bengal Native Infantry was disarmed and disbanded six weeks later on May 6.[8] Shaikh Paltu was rewarded for his seizure of Mangal Pandey.

Shaikh Paltu was promoted to Havaldar (native sergeant) a day after Mangal Pandey's execution and recommended by General Hearse for a decoration.[9] However, some days before the disbandment of the 34th BNI (Bengal Native Infantry), he was lured to an isolated spot in the cantonment and murdered by several of his former comrades.[10]

In popular culture[]

Films and television[]

In the 2005 Bollywood Hindi movie Mangal Pandey: The Rising, directed by Ketan Mehta, Shaikh Paltu was portrayed by Murali Sharma.

References[]

  1. ↑ Mason, Philip. A Matter of Honour. An Account of the Indian Army, its Officers and Men. p. 272. ISBN 0-333-41837-9. 
  2. ↑ Durendra Nath Sen, page 50 Eighteen Fifty-Seven, The Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, May 1957
  3. ↑ "Heroes of the Indian Mutiny; Stories of Heroic Deeds", Edward Gilliat, Service & Co. London
  4. ↑ Wagner, Kim A.. The Great Fear of 1857. Rumours, Conspiracies and the Making of the Indian Uprising. p. 83. ISBN 978-93-81406-34-2. 
  5. ↑ Wagner, Kim A.. The Great Fear of 1857. Rumours, Conspiracies and the Making of the Indian Uprising. p. 84. ISBN 978-93-81406-34-2. 
  6. ↑ Hibbert, Christopher. The Great Mutiny India 1857. p. 69. ISBN 0-14-004752-2. 
  7. ↑ Wagner, Kim A.. The Great Fear of 1857. Rumours, Conspiracies and the Making of the Indian Uprising. pp. 86-87. ISBN 978-93-81406-34-2. 
  8. ↑ David, Saul. The Indian Mutiny. pp. 69–72. ISBN 0-141-00554-8. 
  9. ↑ Wagner, Kim A.. The Great Fear of 1857. Rumours, Conspiracies and the Making of the Indian Uprising. p. 97. ISBN 978-93-81406-34-2. 
  10. ↑ Wagner, Rumours and Rebels (2010), p.97 referring to The Delhi Gazette, 9 May 1857

Suggested readings[]

  • Malleson, G.B., The Indian Mutiny of 1857, pp. 36–39, Delhi, Rupa & Co. publishers, 2005 (first published: 1890)

External links[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Shaikh Paltu and the edit history here.
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