10th Indian Infantry Division: Difference between revisions

The Pakistani forces with their numerical superiority and geographical advantage went for the offensive. On the night of 3 December 1971, Pakistani artillery started shelling the Indian defences of 191 Infantry Brigade, followed by the infantry and armour attack on 4 December.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://salute.co.in/the-chhamb-battle/|title=The Chhamb Battle|date=2014-08-01|access-date=2021-10-19}}</ref> The latter was blunted by the tanks of Deccan Horse and 5 Sikh with their [[Recoilless rifle|recoilless guns]]. The Pakistani forces continued with their attack in the north through Sukhtao Nullah and captured Mandiala North by mid-day of 4 December, a position which they consolidated by the evening of the same day. 6 and 11 POK Brigades managed to cross the [[Manawar Tawi River]], but ran straight into an Indian medium artillery regiment, which inflicted heavy casualties to them. Five Indian guns were damaged. An attempt by Pakistani tanks to cross the river was thwarted by the Indian armour and 5 Pakistani tanks were destroyed. The Pakistanis withdrew across the river. A counter-attack by a Gorkha company led to re-capture of the Mandiala bridge on the morning of 5 December. By the evening, Pakistani forces regrouped and attacked Ghogi, Barsala and Point 951 between Chhamb and Manawar and managed to capture Gurha and Mandiala South in the north. On the night of 6 December, the division decided to withdraw and stabilise the defence line to the eastern bank of the Manawar Tawi river. The retreating forces blew up the Mandiala bridge.<ref name="Sukhwant Singh">{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Sukhwant|title= India's Wars Since Independence: Defence of the western border|date=1998|publisher= Spantech|isbn= 978-1897829424|page=}}</ref><ref name="GJ"/>

Following the withdrawal, the operations shifted to the area east of the Manawar Tawi river. On 8 and 9 December, the Pakistani forces attempted to force the Raipur crossing, but this attack was beaten back by 10 Garhwal Rifles, leading to 39 Pakistani dead and six taken as prisoners of war. This was followed by multiple unsuccessful probing attacks. An armour attack through Sukhtao nullah opposite Chaprael was also beaten back. On the early hours of 10 December, Pakistani 111 Infantry Brigade along with 4 [[Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)|Punjab]], 10 [[Baloch Regiment|Baloch]] and 28 Cavalry crossed Darh and established a [[bridgehead]]. This advance, though could not progress much, because of Indian infantry fire and the Pakistani tanks getting bogged. A counter-attack by a mixed group of tanks from the Deccan Horse and 72 Armoured Regiment failed for the same reason - soft soil.<ref name="Sukhwant Singh"/><ref name="GJ"/>

The Pakistani commander, General Janjua was killed on 9 December 1971, after his helicopter was shot down. Following this, the Indians attacked the Pakistani bridgehead from two directions on 10 December -two infantry companies and one squadron of 72 Armoured Regiment from the north and one infantry company from the south. The attack and the decision of the new commander to pull back troops led to the Pakistanis pulling back on 10 December. The Pakistanis lost six tanks, whereas the Indians lost five. Following this, the line of control was stabilised at this point. After the ceasefire and as part of the [[Simla Agreement]], India lost the territory west of the Tawi river.<ref name="Sukhwant Singh"/><ref name="GJ"/>