Rani Saheba however refused to accept the Khuntkatti rights of tribals. Nirmal Munda of Bartoli village, a World War I veteran started a no-rent campaign against the British. Along with Bahadur Bhagat, Nirmal organized the Mundas of Gangpur to refuse to pay taxes. The agitation spread among the Mundas and Oraons throughout Gangpur in 1938 under the leadership of Nirmal Munda. The same year Nirmal Munda, Mansid Topno, Bhodra Munda went to Ranchi and sent a petition to Governor General Linlithgow. A copy of this petition was given to Jaipal Singh Munda, an Adivasi politician; he met the Governor General and demanded Khuntkatti rights and the remission of taxes. The Governor General summoned Rani Janaki Ratna to Delhi and advised her to resolve the issue peacefully. But the Queen paid no heed to the demands. Massacre The Durbar (royal court) of Gangpur was finding the circumstances unfavourable and the situation was likely to aggravate further, the Durbar sought help from the political agent at Sambalpur to suppress the rebels, and requisitioned the State Joint Police Force. The political agent and the durbar planned to arrest Nirmal Munda; it was given out that the Rani had accepted the agitators' demands and was going to declare good news at Simko village. On 25 April 1939, Adivasis had gathered in Amko Simko under the leadership of Nirmal Munda. Assistant Political Agent Lt. E. W. Marger and Sub-Divisional Officer of Nagra accompanied with two platoons of troops under a British officer appeared at Amko Simko to arrest Nirmal Munda on charges of holding seditious meetings and assaulting a village chawkidar. "The Rani asked the people, 'Who is Nirmal Munda?' Everybody recognized the evil intention of the Rani and introduced themselves as Nirmal Munda. Later, Lt. Marger proceeded towards Nirmal Munda's house to arrest him; a young boy, Mania Munda, stood at the door to obstruct the Lieutenant. A soldier pushed his bayonet into Mania, who died on the spot." –Fabianus Ekka, a tribal resident of Amko village. The hundreds of tribals present at the meeting, armed with crude weapons resisted the arrest of their leader. Consequently, scuffles broke out between the police and the tribals. The police, unable to control the crowd, opened fire upon the agitators killing many and leaving several injured. Some bodies were kept in military vans covered with tarpaulins and later, were thrown into the limekiln of Bisra Stone lime