52nd Bengal Native Infantry

The 52nd Bengal Native Infantry was a regiment of the East India Company's Bengal Army. In 1857 it was at Jabalpur in central India, not in Punjab. It matters to this record as one of the 64 Bengal Army regiments that rebelled that year, and as a contrast with Punjab, where the Company held the line.

At Jabalpur: Shankar Shah, the aged titular king of Garh-Mandla, lived on a British pension at Jabalpur. The British accused him of plotting to murder the English residents, and arrested him and his son Raghunath Shah, with thirteen followers. The 52nd was sent to put down the rising. On 18 September 1857 the British executed Shankar Shah and Raghunath Shah by blowing them from a cannon, though no incriminating evidence was found against them. The thirteen followers were executed the next day. Wikipedia says the executions persuaded the regiment, already dissatisfied, to rebel instead.

What Punjab looked like in the same months:

• 22 May 1857: at Peshawar, four of the most disaffected Bengal native regiments were disarmed by two British infantry regiments backed by artillery.
• The Punjab Movable Column was formed to move fast against any revolt.
• 9 July 1857: a brigade of sepoys at Sialkot rebelled, and Nicholson annihilated about 1,100 of them at Trimmu Ghat three days later.
• Large numbers of new troops were raised in the Punjab and North-West Frontier, and the Sikh princes provided soldiers and support. Wikipedia says five of six Sikh infantry units supported the Company.

Afterwards: The Bengal Army was rebuilt after the rebellion, drawing mainly on Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs, Gurkhas, Baluchis and Pathans. The sources opened do not say what became of the 52nd.