5Abi

The first signs of Kashmiri revolution occurred on 8 August and attacks on Indian posts were so widespread that the Indian authorities arrested a number of oppositon leaders and influential Muslims in Srinagar and other large towns. The revolutionaries found tremendous support in Srinagar itself, probably because a number of them belonged to the metropolis but they preferred to remain out of the capital and attack military targets only. The burning of Batmalu and other villages by the Indians was too big a price to pay for killing the Indian soldiers. In addition there was more scope and a wider field of action out of Srinagar. The reports used by Radio Srinagar from time to time, about the skirmishes between the revolutionaries and the Indian security forces, are an accurate account as far as the chronology of events is concerned. The revolutionaries, all true and full blooded Kashmiris, did not always possess facilities to apprise the voice of Kashmir of their successes. Radio Srinagar came to their help in such cases and helped the revolutionary council in plotting the movement of their freedom fighters. No place was safe for them. Hindwara, baramula, Srinagar Airfield, Budil, Rajauri, Poonch and many other paces, as announced by Radio Srinagar, from time to time, were all being attacked, and the Indian forces punished. The freedom fighters were fighting like any other combatant troops. They had their makeshift uniforms and they never attacked the Indian Army except in the accepted military manner. The Indian Army had as a result deploy over one Infantry Division around Srinagar itself and nearly two Infantry Divisions in Poonch and Rajauri where due to the nature of the terrain and the material qualities of the local population they had brilliant successes in a number of pitched battles against the Indian Army. In Budil they formed a government of their own, set up a revenue department and established law and order like any other settled governmrnt. If they had not been sons of the soil itself it would not have been possible for them to have fought, maintained themselves, captured positions and administered vast territories in Indian held Kashmir. It was only after 23 September, when the whole of the Indian Army was uncommitted, that the Indians dared enter those areas.

The release of forces from elsewhere gave the Indians ample time and opportunity to re-establish their reign of terror once again. They had to fight pitched battles to regain control of those areas from the Revolutionaries. The Indians must know that the day of retribution cannot be postponed for ever and the blood of 50,000 men, women and children that the Indian Army and the Jan Sangh slaughtered during August and September 1965 will be avenged one day.

The Indians put into operation their plans to occupy Azad Kashmir during the third week of August 1965. The first attack came on Bharat Gali in the area of Haji Pir Pass. For seven days the position was continuously shelled by Divisional Artillery of 19 Indian Infantry Division in Baramula-Uri Sector. On 25 August 20,000 shells were fired within 12 hours on this one feature alone. One regiment of field artillery had fired 10,000 rounds that day. On 26 August 1 Para battalion led the attack. The position was occupied by a weak company of about 100 men the majority of whom were Mujahids from adjoining villages. They had come through the devastating shelling in a miraculous manner although their bunkers had all been raised to the ground. The company held their fire until the enemy was hardly 50 yards away. The result was devastating. The Indians were thrown back. They carried away all their wounded except one L/Nk Lal Singh. He, however, died while being evacuated to the hospital. They had left behind over 150 killed. AK casualties had been light, 2 killed, 5 wounded and 5 shell shock cases.

As all the bunkers had been destroyed the company occupied alternative position but this was not as well situated as the main position.

The Indians now chose to out in night attack. They launched the frontal attack at 0100 hours on 27 August which was successfully held. The Indians then pushed in another battalion from the flank and cut off the Bharat Gali position. AK troops fought like seasoned troops. Although the enemy had suffered over 300 killed in this attack they had inflicted heavy casualties on our troops also. The company lost 36 men that day. One platoon had 22 killed out of a strength of 25. The 2 survivors had all been wounded. Sheer superior numbers and unlimited resources had enabled the Indians to beat a force of less than 100 by a full infantry brigade supported by the divisional artillery and that also by making use of the cover of darkness. This is how Bharat Gali fell.

The attack on Bedori had started simultaneously with the attack on Bharat Gali. Here again there was only one company which was subjected to sever shelling for days on end. The non-existence of roads in this area are meant that the time needed to push forward reinforcements or supplies was four days. The result was that after 4 days of stiff resistance, the Indians over ran the position on 28 August.

As a result of this attack in force by the Indians the GOC ordered 20 Punjab to move from its previous location and strengthen the area opposite Haji Pir Pass. They moved in and took up positions in Khora Nakka on the evening of 28 August. They had hardly time to move forward one platoon. This small force was attacked on the morning of 29 August. The battalion hearing of the attack hurriedly moved forward but before they could reach the position the Indians had thrown back the platoon. 20 Punjab as a result, took up position at Kirni and the ridges next to it. With the capture of Khora Nakka the Indians had a clear passage to tauli Pir and on to rawla Kot except that 10 Baluch was holding Sheru Ka Dhara, the South spur of Sankh, where they had just moved in. The Indians wisely did not attempt to follow this course.

The next step on 20 Punjab came on the morning of 30 August. This attack was successfully repulsed with heavy casualties to the enemy. The performance was repeated in the afternoon with similar results. 20 Punjab was now reinforced with one company of 17 Baluch and one company from 10 Azad Kashmir. The helped in further stabilizing the situation. The Indian kept on attacking both during day and night throughout the next three weeks. On 7 and again on 8 September the Indians put in two night attacks which were sufficiently large strengths. The enemy suffered heavy casualties in both these attacks. On each occasion they fell back leaving behind a lot of ammunition and equipment. This senseless hurling of troops to such an extent that after their attack had been repulsed on 21 September they fell back like a mob without any control or discipline at all. That day they had left behind over 200 dead bodies. The attacking Indian troops on that day had been 6 Dogra, battalion of Indian Punjab Regiment and a Gurkha battalion.

The Indians now spent a few days in repairing the road Uri-Haji Pir Pass. It appeared that the enemy was preparing for the big push towards Bagh valley and from there to fab out into Azad Kashmir. It needed to build up a great deal of logistic support for such an undertaking and a road was essential for this purpose. Our defenses against his earlier efforts to push towards Bagh valley had so far stood well in spite of the shortage of troops and very difficult line of communication. The lack of artillery support had definitely affected the operations so far. 12 Pieces of artillery arrived in this sub-sector on 31 August. This made all the differences from that day onwards.