Deccan Riots (1875)

The Deccan Riots of 1875 were armed protests by tenant farmers in the Bombay Presidency’s Deccan region, primarily due to widespread economic hardship and oppressive moneylending practices. Farmers faced heavy debts and high interest rates, often with no means to repay. When authorities attempted to seize their property, angry villagers rose up, attacking moneylenders and government officials. The revolt highlighted the exploitation of rural farmers under colonial rule and led to the eventual regulation of moneylending practices and land reforms. It marked an early instance of rural resistance against economic injustice during British India.