Shankar Shah was the titular king of Garha Kingdom, which was situated in the Indian region of Gondwana.

Raja Shankar Shah was very popular among the zamindars and general public.

[4][5] The aged Shankar Shah, his son Raghunath Shah along with thirteen other followers were arrested and jailed in the prison at the cantonment, accused of "hatching a plot to foully murder the English residents of Jubbulpore".

[6] Even though no incriminating evidence was found against them, the British blew up Shankar Shah along with his son, Kunwar Raghunath Shah with a cannon mouth on 18 September 1857 in a crime of provoking an uprising through their patriotic poems.

[4] This further enraged the already dissatisfied 52nd regiment of Bengal Native Infantry and they rebelled at Jabalpur.