Madhavrao and ascension to the Maratha throne of his ostensibly weaker brother Narayanrao, the British navy sensing an opportunity started wanton aggression against Maratha posts of Thane, Vasai, Vijaydurg and Ratnagiri on the west coast. But Narayanrao took immediate action by appointing Trimbak Vinayak as the Sar-Subah of Vasai and the Konkan, and dispatched him with necessary funds to counter the British efforts. Trimbak Vinayak and the Maratha naval officer Dhulap of Vijaydurg together successfully repelled the British attack. But Mostyn remained at Pune watching and waiting for another opportunity. Nagpur succession crisis The death of the ruler of Nagpur Janoji Bhonsle in May 1772 set off a succession dispute within his family and led to a civil war between his sons Mudhoji and Sabaji. The disputed created ruptures at the Court of Pune as Sakharam Bapu and Raghunathrao supported Mudhoji while Narayanrao, Nana Phadnavis and others supported Sabaji. Sabaji also gained the support of Nizam Ali Khan and fought some battles against him brother whose result turned out to be indecisive. The brothers finally reached an agreement, according to which Mudhoji's son Raghuji was to be made the ruler of Nagpur. The arrangement had to be approved by the Peshwa, and so two agents, Vyankatrao Kashi Gupte and his brother Lakshman, were sent to Pune in order to acquire the robes for Raghuji. The agents sent to Pune belonged to the Prabhu caste whose members were cross with Narayanrao who, likely under the impression from Nana Phadnavis, had reduced their caste status from that of Kshatriya ("warrior") to that of Shudra ("servant"). Prominent leaders of the Prabhu community were called together and under severe torture, including starvation, forced to give up their caste status. This action on the part of Narayanrao lost him the support of an influential community who later supported Raghunathrao. The two agents then tried to help Raghunathrao escape from his confinement. The actions of the agents exasperated and disgusted the Peshwa who on 16 August 1773 issued orders recognising Sabaji as the rightful ruler of Nagpur and commanded the agents to go back to Nagpur along with the third agent Bhavani Shivam who had just arrived. Assassination The period between 16 and 30 August witnessed an unprecedented number of secret talks and concealed discussions taking place among the various partisans of Raghunathrao, but as this had been a regular occurrence at the palace, no responsible