50 years of 1971 Indo-Pak struggle: Dispatches from tank ambush of Kushtia

Excluding being a tale of a gritty battle again, it is usually a poignant story of 2 younger 2nd Lieutenants of Indian and Pakistan armies, with slightly a couple of months carrier underneath their belt, who fought and died on this ambush.

The 2 2nd Lieutenants who function on this exceptional story are 2nd Lieutenant S R Chandavarkar of 45 Cavalry of Indian Military and 2nd Lieutenant Abdul Mohsin Khalid Kark of 29 Cavalry of Pakistan Military. Each fought on reverse aspects within the tank ambush at Kushtia and each died.

Maj (later Maj Gen) Pramod Batra

Whilst Khalid Kark died after his tank used to be shot by means of the tanks of 45 Cavalry, Sam Chandavarkar used to be captured, tortured and killed by means of the Pakistani infantry.

Possibly as a result of the preliminary reverses confronted by means of the Indian brigade Kushtia, this motion has progressively been forgotten. Additionally forgotten has been the bravery of the warriors of one and three Troops of ‘A’ Squadron of 45 Cavalry, who gave a excellent account of themselves regardless of touchdown in a sticky state of affairs because of haste by means of senior commanders.

The development on Kushtia

The Indian advance on Kushtia used to be being undertaken by means of troops of seven Mountain Brigade, which in flip used to be underneath command of four Mountain Department.

The department had already noticed a good bit of combating by the point it reached the city of Kushtia and it had fought in the course of the cities of Jibannagar, Kotchandpur, Suadih, Jhenida and Magura.

As according to the detailed historical past of 45 Cavalry operations written by means of Colonel Nitin Chandra (retd), a former officer of the similar regiment, senior commanders had made up our minds that Kushtia must be captured expeditiously and that it used to be idea that no Pakistani troops had been provide within the the town.

“In keeping with data won from civilian assets, that Kushtia used to be held with virtually negligible enemy energy, GOC 2 Corps and GOC four Mountain Department took a daring determination to seize Kushtia expeditiously,” writes Colonel Chandra.

The No 1 and three Troop of 45 Cavalry, supplied with PT-76 tanks, which have been hooked up to the brigade, had been to guide the improvement with ‘A’ Corporate of 22 Rajput. The rest troops of the Rajput battalion had been to observe in the back of the tanks and protected Kushtia.

The development commenced at Nine am on December 9, 1971 and at mid-day it used to be halted because of minefields when the main parts had been roughly five-km wanting Kushitia.

It used to be at this degree that the senior commanders intervened and demanded that the improvement happen in an instant.

“GOC 2 Corps and GOC four Mountain Department did a helicopter reconnaissance over Kushtia the town and landed close to HQ 7 Mountain Brigade. Commander 7 Mountain Brigade used to be categorically informed that their very own visible reconnaissance had corroborated intelligence inputs that no enemy parts had been in Kushtia,” the historical past of the fight written by means of Col Chandra notes.

The street to the city used to be on a prime embankment with bushes and building on either side. There have been additionally boggy spaces on both sides. Within the haste to hold out the orders of the senior commanders, the objections of the Indian tank troop commander 2/Lt Chandavarkar that the infantry precede the ranks because of the unsafe way for tanks, used to be brushed apart. The younger officer with a couple of months of carrier used to be rarely ready to argue and performed the orders.

What used to be no longer identified to the commanders used to be that the Pakistani 57 Infantry Brigade had commenced withdrawal on this sector however had installed position part a squadron of tanks of 29 Cavalry and one Corporate of 18 Punjab to extend the Indian Military advance. Those Pakistani forces had arrange a smartly sited ambush at the solution to Kushtia and had been mendacity in wait.

Tank ambush

At round 2 pm, 2/Lt Sam Chandavarkar led the improvement into Kushtia as ordered with 5 tanks. Those 5 tanks had been commanded each and every by means of Lance Dafadar Shankaran, Naib Risaldar George Thomas Dafadar Vasu Mallapuram, 2/Lt SR Chandravarkar and Dafadar Cherian Abraham (on this order within the advance).

As quickly because the main tank crossed a culvert at the canal, the tank Commander of the main tank radioed to two/Lt Chandavarkar that the world used to be very nonetheless and extremely suspect.

“The officer made up our minds to transport up his tank to the entrance and lead the column in the course of the built-up space. The tank column thus resumed advance with infantry following, interspersed in its wake. As quickly because the ultimate tank crossed over the culvert, ambush used to be sprung. Enemy spread out with all guns, tanks, artillery, infantry computerized and semi-automatic guns,” the historical past notes.

The main tank of Sam Chandavarkar and the 3rd tank were given hit and went up in flames. The second one tank in line of advance went down the left aspect of the embankment whilst attractive the Pakistanis with its primary gun and gadget gun in a bid to wreck the ambush. This tank, commanded by means of Lance Dafadar Shankaran, shot and destroyed a Pakistani M-24 Chafee tank. He stored attractive the enemy until his tank took an artillery hit on its engine deck and used to be immobilised. The staff then deserted the tank and retreated on foot.

The engine of the fourth tank in line of advance stalled when seeking to have interaction the opposite tools and may just no longer restart. It thus become a sitting duck at the highway embankment and took a variety of direct hits from Pakistani tanks, says Colonel Chandra.

It’s right here that the ultimate tank within the line of advance, led by means of Dafadar Cherian Abraham performed a pivotal function in saving the lives of the infantry squaddies and took at the Pakistani infantry and tanks together with his guns. He made a rapid skid flip, reversed the gun and broke the ambush, whilst ceaselessly firing. Having crossed over the culvert, the tank were given right into a hull down place and destroyed one enemy tank but even so giving masking fire to the chickening out 22 Rajput troops, thus saving the lives of a lot of them.

By way of five pm the location had stabilised and IAF moves had been referred to as in and extra troops had been inducted.

The remainder of the 45 Cavalry ‘A’ Squadron underneath command of Maj (later Maj Gen) Pramod Batra used to be additionally inducted into Kushtia on precedence. The city used to be deserted by means of the fleeing Pak troops quickly after. Army historians have termed the huge building up earlier than the city as an overreaction by means of Indian commanders as very quickly virtually all of the four Mountain Department had assembled there.

Guy who led the fightback

Subedar Primary and Honourary Capt Cherian Abraham now lives a retired existence in Kerala. Talking to The Indian information over telephone, he may just recall each and every incident in Kushtia as though it had took place the previous day. The courageous soldier recounted how he ensured the security of the warriors underneath ambush.

“I had taken ten tank rounds greater than the capability of the tank as a precaution. You by no means know while you would possibly want extra ammunition. And this helped me as I had virtually 50 tank shells with me when the ambush happened. Because the motion opened up and I may just see that the enemy used to be smartly positioned, I in an instant took a place from the place I may just give masking fire to our troops and likewise to inflict harm at the enemy to lead them to destroy the ambush. We hit a Pakistani tank and noticed it cross up in flames. Nobody got here out of it. When my tank ammunition completed I used the co-axial gadget gun of the tank to fire and when that ammunition additionally expended I exploit the anti-aircraft gadget gun on most sensible of the tank to fire,” recollects Abraham.

The courageous tankman used to be later stated to had been really helpful for the bravery award of Vir Chakra. On the other hand, he didn’t obtain it. “The CO of the infantry battalion thanked me for having stored the lives of a large number of his males,” says Abraham.

Primary Batra’s account

“The transfer from Madhumati to Kushtia, a distance of 90 km used to be a nightmare. A wide variety of ideas stored coming to my thoughts, my eyes wet and crimson because of loss of sleep. As we had been dashing on a pitch-dark evening, there used to be no concern of enemy. As a commander one has to place up a courageous face and no longer appear susceptible. As my staff requested me what had took place once we stopped to test our bearings, I simply informed him that every one is easily. I used to be the loneliest individual on this global that evening,” recounts Maj Gen Batra.

After achieving the brigade headquarters in Kushtia, Batra noticed certainly one of his tanks with 4 lifeless squaddies in a single blanket at the deck.

“My thoughts went clean with anguish and ache for them. I were given down from my tank as I used to be summoned to satisfy the GOC and Brigade Commander. Because the happenings of this motion had been narrated to me, I used to be reasonably perturbed and a couple of scorching phrases had been exchanged. All of the GOC stated used to be, ‘These items occur in struggle’. I had anticipated that there could be some feel sorry about or a sense of guilt as we deal with our family members. The Brigade Primary took me apart and defined the bleak state of affairs. He informed me in regards to the lack of six officials killed and 22 Rajput suffered over 110 casualties,” writes Maj Gen Batra in his account of the occasions.

Two 2nd Lieutenants

There are exceptional similarities within the lives of the 2 younger officials of opposing aspects who fought within the motion at Kushtia. Each were commissioned simply months earlier than the struggle and each had joined their respective regiments simply after of completion in their Younger Officials’ route.

2/Lt Abdul Mohsin Khalid Kark used to be killed on the website of the ambush. Pakistani accounts declare that he used to be hit by means of gadget gun fire when he stood outdoor the turret. This will or might not be right kind, however that is showed that his tank used to be a number of the two destroyed on the ambush website by means of Dafadar Abraham and Shankaran.

Talking to The Indian information from Lahore, Mashhood Elahi Khan, cousin of two/Lt Khalid stated he used to be a willing cricketer and an excellent rapid bowler.“He used to be additionally very keen on books and I used to be very as regards to him. I used to be in Karachi once I learnt of his demise within the fight. I used to be distraught, had no relations round me and may just no longer forestall crying. The circle of relatives does no longer even know the place his grave is. At the 50th anniversary of the struggle we’re seeking to accumulate as a lot details about his motion at Kushtia as imaginable,” he stated.

Khalid’s circle of relatives is now bringing out a remembrance memento on his existence. He used to be awarded the Pakistani gallantry award of Sitara-e-Jurrat posthumously.

2/Lt Sam Chandavarkar used to be additionally a willing sportsperson and performed soccer and basketball together with his troops. His father had died when he used to be younger and he too were within the Military. He’s survived by means of two sisters. Maj Gen Batra recollects him as a silent, respectful younger guy who used to be popular with his subordinates as he would at all times discuss with courtesy. The truth that he took initiative and selected to guide the squadron into the city after preliminary suspicions by means of a subordinate confirmed his braveness. And naturally, his braveness in captivity the place he suffered a painful demise at enemy palms. Sam Chandavarkar used to be awarded the Sena Medal posthumously.

Torture of Indian PoW

Indian Prisoners of Warfare, together with 2/Lt Sam Chandavarkar, had been tortured and killed in captivity by means of the warriors of Pakistan Military’s 18 Punjab.

2/Lt Sam Chandavarkar had misplaced one hand as results of direct shot his tank won and used to be captured in conjunction with many others. Maj Gen Batra says some Indian troops who concealed themselves in thick bamboo groves noticed the “ghastly and inhuman torture”.

“Sam used to be tied to a tree and bayoneted, his eyes gouged as he refused to present any data past the only laid down by means of Geneva Conference. “No prisoners” had been their orders, so others captured had been shot. This took place within the presence in their officials. Would any civilised military do that? It’s disgrace and a blot at the Pakistan Military,” he says.

‘Price of Mild Brigade’

Maj Gen Batra says the motion at Kushtia reminds him of Alfred Tennyson’s poem, “Price of the Mild Brigade” and orders given as a mistake ended in advancing troops reduce all the way down to items.

As Primary Batra places is succinctly, “Unfortunately, there’s no Tennyson in India to put in writing about braveness of 22 Rajput and ‘A’ Squadron of 45 Cavalry. Those had been the men who displayed unusual braveness and devotion to accountability. For many who have no longer noticed struggle with demise, our bodies soaked in blood and our bodies with out limbs, old and young, mendacity sprawled far and wide, it’s unimaginable to fathom what it method to lose a comrade. Those had been the men with households, odd other folks such as you and me, their households dissatisfied when they didn’t go back, no longer even their coffins and but those bravehearts with whole fail to remember for his or her lives didn’t fail the country, the Military and their gadgets.”