Which of the following statements about the . first act of the Revolt of 1857 is/are true ? 1. It occurred in Meerut when two sepoys stole a superior officer’s rifle. 2. It began when the Rani of Jhansi declared war on the British. 3. It began when Mangal Pandey fired at a European officer in Meerut. 4. It began when Mangal Pandey fired at a European officer in Barraekpore. Select the correct answer using the code given below:

The first act of the Revolt of 1857 is historically associated with the actions of Mangal Pandey at Barrackpore. On March 29, 1857, Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the 34th Native Infantry, fired at and attacked his superior European officers, specifically Lieutenant Baugh and the sergeant-major [3]. While the large-scale organized rebellion began in earnest at Meerut on May 10, 1857, when sepoys revolted and marched to Delhi, the incident at Barrackpore is recognized as the symbolic spark and the first significant act of defiance [5]. Statement 1 is incorrect as the Meerut outbreak involved the refusal to use cartridges, not the theft of a rifle [3]. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Rani of Jhansi joined the revolt later, after it had already spread across Northern India [5]. Statement 3 is incorrect because Mangal Pandey's actions took place at Barrackpore, not Meerut [2].

Sources

1. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 7: The Revolt of 1857 > Starts at Meerut > p. 172
2. [3] Modern India ,Bipin Chandra, History class XII (NCERT 1982 ed.)[Old NCERT] > Chapter 8: The Revolt of 1857 > MODERN INDIA > p. 140
3. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 18: Early Resistance to British Rule > Course of the Revolt > p. 294
4. [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangal_Pandey