| The truth about J&K - Does Pakistan have a locus standi on J&K ? - Part- 3 -of-9 -by- Lt.Col. Thakur Kuldip S Ludra |
Chronologically speaking, the tribal hordes entered the State of Jammu and Kashmir on 22 October, using the roads Jhelum-Bhimber-Mirpur-Kotli-Poonch, Rawalpindi-Murree-Domel-Baramulla-Srinager and Abbotabad-Muzaffarabad-Domel-Baramulla-Srinagar, apart from numerous other tracks. In no time they had over run the western part of Kashmir. The aim was to capture the Srinagar airfield and thereafter besiege Srinagar, if the need arose, and to force the Maharajah to sign the Instrument of Accession, handing over Kashmir to Pakistan.
As a preliminary operation, right from early September onwards, right from Bhimber, through Mirpur, Kotli , Poonch onto Gilgit, the Muslims had risen in revolt, at the instigation of the Pakistan authorities, forcing the Jammu and Kashmir Forces to be split, which was being done by the British Commander of the State Forces, Major General Scott, to carry out 'fire fighting' operations to contain this revolt. In fact, in Gilgit, Major Brown of the British Army commanding the Gilgit Scouts led the coup against the State Forces. At the time the State had a total Army of eight battalions, out of which one was the State Reserve in Srinagar, one in Gilgit, which had mutinied along with the Gilgit Scouts, under Major Brown. The rest were spread all over the State. Deployment of 4 J & K Rifles will give a good picture of the way the units had been broken and spread out. The battalion was deployed as follows:-
a. A Company---Kohala-Barasala.
b. B Company---Handwara-Garhi Dopatta .
c. C Company---Lohar Gali
d. D Company---Ramkot Ghori
e. Battalion Headquarters at Domel.
The situation was so precarious that even this force was extremely short of ammunition. According to Bleoria, the British Officers were not permitting the movement of ammunition, even though the demand had been approved by the Home Minister as well as the Defence Minister .The situation was so acute that the State Forces could not even blow up the Bridge at Domel as no demolition set was available. The end result was that the Tribal invaders had a cake walk, right across the Border.
rest of the article is at http://members.tripod.com/israindia/kashmir-locus3.html
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