Indian Defence Review

A few days after these successes, orders came from Delhi to stop all further offensive operations in Jammu & Kashmir. This was done in response to an appeal from the United Nations. The ban on offensive operations was a unilateral gesture by the Indian Government in the interests of peace on the sub-continent. There was no reciprocal response from Pakistan. On the other hand, she soon began a major offensive. It was a politico-military blunder of the first magnitude.

The capture of Tithwal had given a severe jolt to the enemy; Indian troops were now within striking distance of Muzaffarabad, just 29 kilometres away. It was therefore in this sector that the Pakistanis first reacted. The Sikhs and the Madrassis had established their picquets across the Kishanganga to guard against enemy infiltration. The Sikhs’ forward positions came under attack in the beginning of June but the enemy was thrown back after stiff hand-to-hand fighting. Later in July, enemy pressure increased and Indian troops withdrew from the West bank of the river.

 There was no reciprocal response from Pakistan. On the other hand, she soon began a major offensive. It was a politico-military blunder of the first magnitude.

The enemy, however, wanted Tithwal itself and it put in several attacks on Indian positions. These attacks were supported by heavy shelling and they used large numbers to overwhelm the defences. In the fierce fighting some localities changed hands but the enemy was never allowed to retain possession of any vital ground for long. In the process of attack and counter-attack, many acts of gallantry were witnessed. A particularly noteworthy example was that of Company Havaldar Major Piru Singh of 6 Rajputana Rifles.

On the night of 17 July, Piru. Singh’s company was ordered to capture a hill South of Tithwal. The enemy had a well-dug position, and its machine guns covered all approaches to it. As the company charged up the hill, the leading men were mown down. Piru Singh, who was with the leading section, soon found that half of his men had been killed or wounded. He did not lose heart, rallied the remaining men, and charged the nearest machine-gun post. The enemy threw hand-grenades to stop the charge, but nothing could stop Piru Singh. Though his clothes had been ripped by grenade splinters and he was bleeding, he jumped into the trench and bayoneted the gun crew to death. Suddenly Piru Singh realized that he was the only man of his section still on his feet. A grenade thrown at him now wounded him in the face. This must have made him furious for he charged the next enemy position single-handed, after lobbing in a grenade. His bayonet again accounted for two of the enemy. When he emerged from the second enemy bunker to charge a third, he was hit in the head with a bullet and was seen to drop at the edge of the enemy trench. At the same time, there was an explosion in the trench, which showed that the grenade thrown by him had done its work.

It was courage of men like Piru Singh that kept the Indian flag flying over Tithwal. Try as they might, the Pakistanis could not retake it. When gallantry awards were instituted in India in 1950, Piru Singh’s valour was recognized with a posthumous award of the PVC.

Between Chakothi and the Pir Panjal Range the enemy had built up its strength to three infantry battalions, a troop of tanks, a field battery, a mountain battery, two anti-aircraft guns and a machine-gun company. It was keen to recapture Pandu and Point 6873, and had put in several attacks between 5 and 17 June on these The Kumaonis,33 aided by the Gunners, had repulsed these. However, on 19 June the enemy got a chance and ambushed a party of this battalion. Of the 15 men who comprised the party, 13 were killed and 2 wounded, including Colonel Khanna. Timely assistance by a villager saved Khanna’s life. But when a cash reward was offered to this gallant man, Mohammad Jumma, he refused to take it. The Indian Government later conferred the Vir Chakra on him together with a life pension.