Which among the following causes mainly contributed to the Vellore Mutiny in context of British India 1. Hindus were prohibited from wearing religious marks on their foreheads while on duty, and Muslims were required to shave their beards and trim their moustaches. 2. Annexation of princely states 3. Imposition of taxes on locals 4. The new headdress included a leather cockade and was intended to replace the existing turban. Select the correct answer using the codes below.?

Option 3 : 1 and 4 only 

The correct answer is option 3 i.e 1 and 4 only

• The Vellore mutiny on 10 July 1806 was the first instance of a large-scale and violent mutiny by Indian sepoys against the East India Company, predating the Indian Rebellion of 1857 by half a century.
• The Vellore Mutiny was a sepoy mutiny and the causes were rooted in the conditions of the Indian army contingents.
  • The immediate causes of the mutiny revolved mainly around resentment felt towards changes in the sepoy dress code, introduced in November 1805.
  • Hindus were prohibited from wearing religious marks on their foreheads while on duty, and Muslims were required to shave their beards and trim their moustaches. Hence statement 1 is correct.
  • In addition General Sir John Craddock, Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army ordered the wearing of a round hat resembling that associated at the time with both Europeans in general and with Indian converts to Christianity.
  • The new headdress included a leather cockade and was intended to replace the existing turban. Hence statement 4 is correct.
  • These measures offended the sensibilities of both Hindu and Muslim sepoys and went contrary to an earlier warning by a military board that sepoy uniform changes should be "given every consideration which a subject of that delicate and important nature required".