The British Government had imposed a "Shoot on sight" order under martial law in Solapur in 1930 to suppress the freedom movement.
Mallappa, along with Shrikisan Laxminarayan Sarada, Abdul Rasool Qurban Hussain, and Jagannath Bhagwan Shinde, defied the martial law.
He worked in a private firm; took active part in the Civil Disobedience movement (1930); was a prominent and influential political worker of Sholapur.
The police attempt at stopping it led to their resorting to firing in which several people were killed.
The processionists hit back and in the ensuing clash one police constable was killed and another burnt alive.