The Deccan Riots of 1875 were a significant agrarian revolt in western India driven by indebtedness, exploitative moneylending practices, and rigid colonial land revenue systems.

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• The riots took place mainly in Poona and Ahmednagar districts of the Bombay Presidency, where peasants collectively protested against oppressive moneylenders and the growing burden of agricultural debt and economic distress.
• The Ryotwari System imposed high and inflexible land revenue demands directly on cultivators, forcing them to pay taxes regardless of crop yield, drought conditions, or fluctuations in agricultural productivity.
• The impact of the American Civil War created a boom in cotton demand followed by a sharp decline, leaving farmers unable to repay loans and worsening their financial instability.
• Moneylenders charged exorbitant interest rates and used legal systems to their advantage, trapping peasants in cycles of debt, often resulting in land alienation and long-term economic exploitation.
• The uprising began in Supa village in 1875 and rapidly spread across nearby regions, with peasants attacking moneylenders, burning debt records, and destroying property as acts of resistance against exploitation.
• The movement was largely spontaneous and lacked centralized leadership, yet it witnessed widespread participation from various rural communities, including active involvement of women and support from local groups.
• The British administration initially underestimated the scale of the revolt but later suppressed it using police and military force, arresting participants and restoring control over the affected regions.
• The revolt led to important reforms such as the Deccan Agriculturists Relief Act, which aimed to regulate moneylending practices, reduce interest burdens, and provide legal protection to indebted farmers.