In continuation to the first article wherein Pakistani army in the guise of tribesman started invading Jammu and Kashmir in 1947, the civil administration at Srinagar totally collapsed. On 25 October, Maharaja Hari Singh left Srinagar for Jammu which was the winter capital of the state. The then Prime Minister of the state, Mehar Chand Mahajan was also away. The subordinate officials, the police chiefs and public servants, all left their jobs and looked anxiously to the safety of themselves and their families.

 

 

 

 

By the latter half of October 1947, the Government of India was in close touch with the situation in Kashmir. The Maharaja's government also informed the Government of India of the worsening situation within the State and sought help in controlling it. Direct assistance of the Indian Army was out of the question till Jammu and Kashmir had acceded to India, but before any help could actually be sent, the tribesmen had invaded Kashmir, changing entirely the complexion of affairs.

 

 

 

 

 

A Pakistan army convoy advances in kashmir 

 

 

The troops would then find themselves stranded in a distant valley with no depots, ancillary services or regular line of communication. They would be entirely dependent on the uncertain air transport for all their multifarious needs, and faced with an enemy, about whom they had little information.

 

 

 

To assess the situation, V.P. Menon (Secretary, Ministry of States, Government of India) was flown to Srinagar on 25 October. He found the city plunged in gloom and expecting the raiders' arrival any time. On his advice, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir left Srinagar for Jammu late that night, to escape from being captured by the raiders who could then extract from him whatever they wanted.

 

 

 

 

 Instrument of Accession

 

When the Governor-General of Pakistan came to know of the despatch of Indian troops to Srinagar on 27 October, he became furious. That night he sent instructions to Gen Sir Douglas Gracey, the acting Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army (Gen Messervy, the C-in-C, was away on leave) to move the Pakistan Army into Kashmir to seize Baramula, Srinagar and the Banihal Pass as well as to move into Mirpur district of Jammu. However, Gen Gracey replied that he could not take such action without consulting the Supreme Commander, Field Marshal Auchinleck.

 

 

 

 

Though on 26 October Jammu and Kashmir became a part of India in law, it was most urgent that its invaders were thrown back. This meant that regular Indian troops must be sent there with the utmost speed. In the Army HQ, Brig Kalwant Singh, the acting CGS, took urgent steps to find and prepare the troops to be sent to Srinagar. The choice fell on 1 Sikh then stationed near Gurgaon and commanded by Lieut-Colonel D.R. Rai.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each civil Dakota was to carry 15 men with their personal arms and bed-rolls, plus 225 kg of supplies; each Royal Indian Air Force Dakota was to carry an additional two men. Every flight was to be tactically and administratively self-contained, so that if necessary troops could go into action immediately on landing. In the third or the fourth flight were to be carried one officer and two NCOs of the RIE to instruct survivors of the State troops in the rudiments of bridge demolition, a Liaison Officer (Brigadier Hira Lal Atal) from Army Headquarters (India) to the local government, another Liaison Officer from the States Ministry and an Intelligence Officer from the Directorate of Military Operations and Intelligence, also three cipher operators and a medical detachment of two officers and ten men.

 

 

So uncertain was the situation in the Valley that Lieut-Colonel Rai was instructed to circle the Srinagar airfield and carefully scan the countryside in case the raiders had already occupied it. If so, he was to fly back and land with his men at Jammu. Such a rider to an Operation Instruction must surely be unique in modern military history, and was an indication of the unique uncertainty, hazards and difficulties facing the Indian troops when they went to Kashmir.

 

 

After an uneventful flight, the Dakota carrying Lieut-Colonel Rai touched down at Srinagar airfield at 0830 hours on 27 October 1947. Other planes of the first flight landed soon after and by 1000 hours Army Headquarters was informed that the first party was at last in Srinagar. The situation then was critical in the extreme. The large raider-horde was being held by only two platoons of State troops who had dug themselves in on a high ground about 5 km east of Baramulla. The handful of defenders were very hard pressed, and if they were overrun, the road to Srinagar would be open to the tribesmen.

 

 

 

 Pashtun warriors from different tribes on their way to Kashmir

 

 

In all only some 700 men of the State forces were available, and at least two companies of Indian troops were urgently required to patrol north and south of the main road in order to prevent the enemy from by-passing the Sikh positions during the hours of darkness. There was hope of some delay in the enemy advance for the tribal raiders were just then busy looting Baramulla.

 

 

 

 

Atal reported that the civil administration had ceased to exist, refugees were thronging the airport and that at least one brigade would be required for the defence of the Valley. In reply to his messages, Lieut-Colonel Rai was informed at 2305 hours on 27 October that air strafing would be carried out on 28 October, and the Brigade Tactical Headquarters and one extra battalion would be flown to Srinagar on 29-30 October, followed by another battalion by air if possible, else, by road.

 

 

At the same time, on 27 October, Delhi and East Punjab Command was ordered to establish a proper line of communication from Pathankot to Jammu as soon as possible. There was then only a fair weather motor road between the two places, and all traffic on it had to be ferried across the Ravi. There were only two boats available at the ferry which could transport about one battalion and 30 jeeps across the river per day. But the Engineer-in-Chief reported that the Ravi could be bridged at Kathua by one 55-metre Bailey bridge, which could be put up earliest by 7 November.

 

 

The defenders of Srinagar passed the night of 27/28 October in vigilance in their hastily dug positions east of Baramula. But no attack developed that night. The next morning, Rai himself went forward to the front line trenches with two more companies of 1 Sikh. He even contemplated attacking Baramulla and throwing out the raiders in short order. But soon after his arrival, the enemy began a big attack in order to push through and reach Srinagar. Bitter fighting took place and the attackers were held, but after some hours it struck them that the small defensive position could easily be out-flanked.

 

 

When the enemy began to encircle his position, Rai went back and selected another defensive position 8 km nearer to Srinagar. After this reconnaissance, he returned to his men and ordered them to withdraw to the new positions. Quietly and skilfully the men fell back. While seeing off the last of the rearguard, Lieut-Colonel Rai was hit in the head by a stray bullet and fell.

 

 

 

 

Thus fell a gallant son of India, in defence of freedom and of the weak. Lieut-Colonel D.R. Rai was given posthumously the award of Maha Vir Chakra.