Dr. Ramesh Tamiri
Pakistan invasion on J&K in 1947 to grab the state by force was planned at the highest level by Pak army and its Govt.False narrative that it was a private invasion by wild Pashtuns of NWFP stands exposed.Pak army officials took active part in the invasion right from the beginning.
Non-Muslims organized resistance at different places in Jammu region-Mirpur, Bhimber, Poonch, Rajouri, Deva Vatala,etc. Muzaffarabad too witnessed civilian resistance at some places.Active involvement of Pak army made outcome of civilian resistance difficult.
Unlike parts of Jammu province and Muzaffarabad Kashmir valley proper saw civilian resistance at three places only-Chhoor-Bulgam in Sopore and Ichhama and Atna in Tangmarg region.In all these places it were the Sikhs who organized the defence.Over 300 Sikhs were massacred in the Bulgam encounter on 30 October 1947.
Sikhs of the Hamal region and Ashnaji (Uri) too received the news about the Pakistani attack but could not flee well in time.There were gruesome massacres at Ashnaji, Shalakot, Wampora, Chogul, Yaarbug, Dengiwacha, Ninghal and Budgam.
Sikhs of Baramulla and the area called Krun fled their villages and marched towards Ichhama. More than 3000 members of Sikh community assembled at Ichhama by the evening of 29 October 1947.One Pandit family of neighbouring village Yaal and two families of Larikpora too joined them.
Contrary to the accounts that say Pakistan invaders after entering Baramulla refused to move ahead evidence available refutes it.This is not to deny that there was no conflict between Major Khurshid Anwar and Pashtun tribesmen over loot on one hand and between Khurshid Anwar and Pakistan Govt.over formation of ‘Provisional Govt.’ on the other.
The plan drawn by Pakistanis had already envisaged that a section of invaders would try to capture the Srinagar airfield by taking a route which passed through Ichhama and Atna.In fact ,accounts claim that Major Khurshid Anwar along with Pir Manki Sharif had done RECCE of the route on 17 September 1947.
Maqbool Sherwani
So question of the invaders having been diverted by Maqbool Sherwani towards Tangmarg region looks out of place. Sherwani was in Sopore between 27 to 29 October1947 and helped the Pandit families flee the town before the invaders entered there. Then on 29 October 1947 he left for Srinagar along with Sopore NC leader Sofi Mohammad Akbar via Bandipore.He remained there till 2 November 1947 and thereafter he left alone for Sumbal ,possibly on way to Baramulla.At Satkreri he was betrayed by someone to the invaders.He was taken to Baramulla and brutally killed there.
Pakistani Attack
Soon after entering Baramulla town on 27 October 1947 Captain Sher Khan,a deserter of State army, left late in the afternoon for the airfield. He had taken along a force of 40 Pak army regulars with him.After targeting Sikh dominated villages enroute he reached Palapora on 30 October 1947. Around 45 members of the Sikh community of Chandoosa village were killed in a gruesome massacre in a nearby ravine.There was loot and arson also at many places.
After fall of Pattan Major Khurshid Anwar,head of the invaders, reached there on 29 October 1947.He had reportedly 500 Mahsud tribesmen with him. From Pattan he had carried a big mob of locals for loot and came via Khor to Aripantan.
Latif Afghani’s name frequently comes up in the accounts of Pakistani invasion.A crony of Pakistan Minister Mian Iftikharuddin he had remained an activist of Communist Party of India in 1940s.Being politically ambitious like many other Pakistani communists he joined Muslim League. Latif Afghani was drafted for invasion by Mian Iftikharuddin and Col.Akbar Khan.He reached Gugaldara village on the morning of 31 October 1947.His force of 100 men comprised mostly Muslim League workers.Academic Eqbal Ahmad,who was part of Latif Afghani’s column,has provided eyewitness accounts of the incidents at Shalteng.Whether Latif Afghani was already tasked for the assignment or else was ordered to go after Sikh resistance at Ichhama not much details are available in the accounts of the invasion.
The columns of Sher Khan,Khurshid Anwar and Latif Afghani pitched on outskirts of Ichhama.
Ichhama
Latif Afghani’s column soon after arrival attacked Dalwash village.Sikh youth gave tough resistance to the invaders.Realising that they were up against a stronger force the villagers vacated Dalwash and moved towards Ichhama and Atna.The village was looted by the invaders and houses of Sikh families set on fire.
Oral testimonies indicate Sikh defenders at Ichhama were well prepared to face the assault.There were three attacks by the invaders on 31 October 1947.All these attacks were successfully repulsed.Heroic fight by Sardar Ujagar Singh Mistry and many others is recalled to this day by the survivors.Capt Sher Khan was reportedly killed.Khurshid Anwar was hit by a bullet in the thigh and was evacuated. No definite figures are available about killings of Sikhs at Ichhama.A conservative estimate puts it at 32.
Serious injury to Khurshid Anwar forced the invaders to retreat.In a tactically wise decision the Sikhs decided to march towards Srinagar. More than 70 percent of their ammunition was exhausted. Next day as expected the invaders came in much bigger numbers and burnt down Sikh villages including Ichhama.The houses of the Pandit families in Larikpora too were burnt.
Atna
On 1 November 1947 the invaders targeted village Atna.Many Sikh families had assembled there.They fought heroically. An old woman Mata Gangi Kaur picked up a sword in hand and exhorted her community members to fight -Inko roko.Insay daro nahi.Ladna hai.(Stop them.Don’t be afraid of them.We have to fight.)With this brave call she moved forward and achieved martyrdom.
Memorial
It was because of the resistance by the Sikhs at Ichhama and Atna that arrival of the invaders in Budgam was delayed to 2 November 1947 when martyr Major Somnath Sharma spotted them near a nullah.Had there been no resistance at Ichhama the invaders would have been at Budgam on 31 October 1947 itself.Ichhama front gave breather of crucial 2 days for more reinforcements to arrive from Delhi.
GOI needs to raise memorials at Ichhama and Atna to commemorate the heroic sacrifices of Shaheed Ujagar Singh Mistry, Mata Gangi Kaur and many others who fought Pak invaders. Unfortunately, the role of Sikh partisans at Ichhama has found little space in narratives on 1947.
(The writer is a keen researcher on Kashmir)
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