9 PARA SF Operation in 1971 - Op. Mandhol | When PARA Commandos Entered Pakistan

Описание: 9 PARA SF - Operation Mandhol in 1971 | PARA Commandos Entered Pakistan

It was 12 O’clock midnight on December 14, 1971. Six gun-assault parties, one fire-support party, and one Special Frontier Force (SFF) Stick Party, silently left an Indian forward post, in search of Pakistani gun position. After crawling and walking through the dark for 40 minutes, the team reached ‘that’ spot. They all took respective positions, waited in the chill, without speaking a word. At exactly 1 am, the support party commander’s orders crackled on the radio handsets, “For all stations, Dhamaka; I say again, Dhamaka.” Under the intense fire support extended by the support party, others rained on the Pakistani gunners. Intense action followed. Indian forces directed the attack towards the known Pak gun deployment pattern.

The end result was history that had no parallels in the war records in the world. This attack, which came to be known as ‘Mandhol gun raid’, destroyed six guns of Pakistan and eliminated 51 enemy troops. Such a daring raid with such a brilliant result has not been recorded even during the World War-II. The raid forced Pakistan to change its war plans. Interestingly, the ‘Mandhol gun raid’ has Nagpur connection! Col Abhay Balkrishna Patwardhan (Retd), a highly decorated veteran officer of the Indian Army, had actively participated in the historic action. The man’s stout build even today tells a lot about the strength he carries within. His simple appearance tries to conceal his dynamic persona. But when he speaks, one realises that here is a veteran Army officer, who has seen it all. As India and Bangladesh both are celebrating the 50th anniversary or ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ of the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, Col A B Patwardhan (Retd) shared with ‘The Hitavada’ his experience on the battlefield. In 1971, the 93 Infantry Brigade of 25 Infantry Division was posted in Poonch area of Jammu and Kashmir. Brigadier A V Natu, who also hailed from Nagpur, was the Brigade Commander. On December 2, 1971, the 33 Infantry Brigade of 39 Infantry Division came as reinforcement in Poonch.

On the night of December 3 and 4, Pakistan started heavy artillery shelling on Army posts, village, and Poonch town. The war had started. The legend of the 9 Para’s Major Chander Mohan Malhotra’s Charlie Group and strike team of SFF comprising Ladakhi and Tibetan commandos was about to begin. “In the small hours of December 4, reconnaisance patrol of eight was sent towards area top from where sound of firing came. The patrolling led to a clash in which 41 Pakistani soldiers died, one was injured and held as prisoner, and American and Chinese weapons, radio sets etc were seized. However, what the injured Pakistani soldier revealed during questioning was more alarming,” recalls Col Patwardhan. Pakistan’s 12 Infantry Division had planned to sent a Battalion of 2nd Infantry Brigade in Thanpir area on the intervening night of December 12 and 13, and two more Pakistani Brigades were to cross over Poonch river and mount attack on Poonch garrison and town on the intervening night of December 14 and 15. Simultaneously, 16 POK Battalion was to descend from Chandak Ridge feature and hold Kalai Bridge. This force was to marry up with armour column attacking Akhnoor sector and take Jammu region till Pathankot. “Had Pakistan succeeded, India’s 93rd Brigade defences would have been rendered untenable in defending Poonch, which the enemy had been repeatedly trying to occupy since 1947-48.

It was essential to thwart the enemy designs,” stresses Col Patwardhan. The plan had potential to scare any man as one Pakistani division of 15,000 soldiers was to attack Poonch and a Brigade-plus force of 5,500 soldiers was to block the exit route. However, Brigadier A V Natu was a man with steel nerves. He chalked out a daring plan to foil the Pakistani plan by ensuring that the enemy did not get fire support. Thus, was drawn the plan for the historic ‘Mandhol gun position raid’. A deception attack also was planned. As Col A B Patwardhan recalls, “Our SFF team was working with ‘Mukti Bahini’ in East Pakistan till the mid-war period in 1971. Later on, we were airlifted to Western Sector. When we came to know about the daring raid, we were excited.” The action at Mandhol began on midnight of December 14. Amid intense exchange of fire and commotion, the brave Indian soldiers charged towards gun pit and small arms started spitting fire. “One was shouting ‘take position’.