<P> The British historian Philip Mason notes that it was inevitable that most of the sepoys and sowars from Meerut should have made for Delhi on the night of 10 May . It was a strong walled city located only forty miles away, it was the ancient capital and present seat of the Mughal Emperor and finally there were no British troops in garrison there in contrast to Meerut . No effort was made to pursue them . </P> <P> Early on 11 May, the first parties of the 3rd Cavalry reached Delhi . From beneath the windows of the King's apartments in the palace, they called on him to acknowledge and lead them . Bahadur Shah did nothing at this point, apparently treating the sepoys as ordinary petitioners, but others in the palace were quick to join the revolt . During the day, the revolt spread . European officials and dependents, Indian Christians and shop keepers within the city were killed, some by sepoys and others by crowds of rioters . </P> <P> There were three battalion - sized regiments of Bengal Native Infantry stationed in or near the city . Some detachments quickly joined the rebellion, while others held back but also refused to obey orders to take action against the rebels . In the afternoon, a violent explosion in the city was heard for several miles . Fearing that the arsenal, which contained large stocks of arms and ammunition, would fall intact into rebel hands, the nine British Ordnance officers there had opened fire on the sepoys, including the men of their own guard . When resistance appeared hopeless, they blew up the arsenal . Six of the nine officers survived, but the blast killed many in the streets and nearby houses and other buildings . The news of these events finally tipped the sepoys stationed around Delhi into open rebellion . The sepoys were later able to salvage at least some arms from the arsenal, and a magazine two miles (3 km) outside Delhi, containing up to 3,000 barrels of gunpowder, was captured without resistance . </P> <P> Many fugitive European officers and civilians had congregated at the Flagstaff Tower on the ridge north of Delhi, where telegraph operators were sending news of the events to other British stations . When it became clear that the help expected from Meerut was not coming, they made their way in carriages to Karnal . Those who became separated from the main body or who could not reach the Flagstaff Tower also set out for Karnal on foot . Some were helped by villagers on the way; others were killed . </P>

Where did the revolt of 1857 took place