It is still the subject of debate as to whether Rani was involved in the massacre or not. In June 1857, rebels of the 12th Bengal Native Infantry seized the Star Fort of Jhansi and massacred 40 to 60 European officers of the garrison along with their wives and children. The city was in the midst of regional unrest and to give assurance to her subjects, Rani conducted a Haldi-Kumkum ceremony with all the women of Jhansi. When the news of Rebellion reached Jhansi, Lakshmibai asked for permission from Captain Alexander Skene to raise an army and Skene agreed. Gradually, unrest began to spread in various territories of India, which culminated in the form of the First War of Indian Independence. On, the Indian Rebellion, in the form of Sepoy Mutiny, arose as a response to the oppressive rule of the British in Meerut. These are the words, which are delivered in ballads, songs, and poems, over the ages. I shall not surrender my Jhansi” (Main apni Jhansi nahi doongi) Reportedly, she initially refused the pension and threatened to leave Jhansi. However, Lakshmibai was persistent in protecting the throne of Jhansi. 60,000/- and was ordered to move to Rani Mahal leaving the Jhansi fort. In 1854, Rani’s appeals against the Doctrine of Lapse was rejected multiple times, and Lakshmibai was granted a pension of Rs.
During the time of Doctrine of Lapse, the East India Company acted as both, the Judge as well as the Defendant with no proper court of law. Reportedly, it was one of the factors responsible for the 1857 Indian Rebellion. With the help of an Australian Lawyer, John Lang, Rani filed a petition in London to oppose the annexation of Jhansi, but Rani’s plea was rejected.