Dewan Mulraj

Mulraj‌ Chopra‌ (1814 – 11 August 1851) was a Sikh Empire-era‌ administrator who served as the governor (‌Diwan) of Multan from 1844 to 1849. He is known for being the leader of a Sikh rebellion against the British which led to the Second Anglo-Sikh War.

Early life

Mulraj Chopra was born to Diwan Sawan Mal, a Punjabi Hindu Khatri. His father Sawan Mal had attained distinction by capturing Multan from the Afghans and was made its Diwan by Ranjit Singh, the Maharaja of the Sikh Empire. On his father's death, Mulraj succeeded him as the Diwan of Multan.

Owing to these pressures, Mulraj decided to resign from his duties in December 1847 but was urged to continue on until the winter harvest gathering in March 1848. The British used his resignation as an excuse to strengthen their influence in the region, with Kahan Singh Man being appointed as the successor but real power lying with Vans Agnew of the Civil Service and Lt. Anderson of the European Fusiliers, being accompanied to Multan by a force of fourteen hundred Durbar troops, a Gurkha regiment of infantry, seven hundred cavalry and one hundred artillerymen with six guns. When the Englishmen, Kahan Singh, and their forces arrived, Mulraj ordered his officers to welcome them and handed his keys to Multan fort to them, which was inspected by the new arrivals on 19 April 1848. The Englishmen decided to dismiss the Multani garrison at the fort and replace them with the Gurkha infantry. While Mulraj was escorting the Englishmen to the gate of the fort, an angered member of the Multani garrison which had just been removed from their duties named Amir Chand was offended by the order to offer salaam to the Sahibs who had made the order that caused him to lose his job decided to lunge at Vans Agnew with his spear and pierced Agnew's side. The next day on 20 April 1848, the camp of the British at the Idgah was mobbed by the upset locals, with Agnew being beheaded by a Mazhabi Nihang Sikh named Godar Singh and Anderon being killed by the mob by being hacked into pieces. Agnew's severed head was used as a football by the mob, being set on-fire, urinated, and spat upon. Godar Singh threatened the British that he will kill all of them as far as Calcutta. Mulraj, who had a timid disposition, soon found himself being seen as the leader of this rebellion with little choice in the matter. To counter the resentment, British officials sought to replace Mulraj with Sardar Kahan Singh Mann, an official from the court at Lahore who was more sympathetic to their interests.

The court consisted of three Englishmen. His body was cremated on the banks of the Ganges river by a handful of loyal servants.