In 1897 when a plague hit Pune and nearby region, Mr. Rand the assistant collector of Pune that time employed brutal methods to stop the spread of disease by burning houses and even shooting the affected people. Bal Gangadhar Tilak opposed such methods by publishing articles in his newspaper Kesari quoting "Bhagavad Gita" a Hindu Scripture "no blame could be attached to anyone who killed an oppressor without any thought of reward". Following this publication, Mr. Rand and his assistant were killed and Tilak was charged with incitement to murder and sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment. When he came from the prison he was a national hero and the hearing and sentence earned him the title "Lokmanya"