Page 275 - Leadership in the Indian Army

supported him and he was allowed to proceed with his plan. As it happened,
Sagat had already kept four hours in reserve, and was able to remain well
ahead of the estimated timings when the operations took place.

50 Parachute Brigade had been given the subsidiary task of advancing
from the north, primarily to tie down the Portuguese troops in that area.
However, Sagat was not one to be tied down by orders, and had already
visualised a larger role for himself. He had decided to move on a wide front
on two axes, with a vehicle-mounted battalion group on each, supported by
armour and artillery. He reasoned that if he was held up on one axis, he
would continue the advance on the other, and using the reserve battalion

advance deeper into Goa, either through Bicholim–Mapuca–Panjim Creek,
or via Sanquelim–Usgaon–Ponda–Velha–Goa, on to Panjim. The 2 Sikh
Light Infantry group, supported by a squadron of 7th Cavalry and a troop of
8th Cavalry, was tasked to advance on the Bicholim axis. 2 Para, supported
by the rest of 7th Cavalry and a troop of 8th Cavalry, was assigned the
Sanquelim axis, 1 Para was kept in reserve.

Though the operation was to commence on the night of 18 December,
Sagat decided to launch fighting patrols the previous night to overcome the
border outposts. This would facilitate the entry of the main column across
the border the following morning. Accordingly, Sagat had tasked 1 Para to
capture two border outposts, and 2 Para to proceed along the ‘smugglers
route’ and capture the single span 110-foot-long bridge over the Sanquelim
river on the previous night. Unfortunately, while these preliminary

operations were going on, All India Radio gave the game away by
announcing shortly after midnight that Indian troops were crossing into
Goa. This alerted the Portuguese and the element of surprise, so important
in such operations, was lost. One company of 2 Para, after a swift night
approach, had reached within 200 yards of the bridge, when barking dogs
alerted the defending troops, who quickly fired the demolitions and fled.

The Portuguese Governor General and C-in-C, Major General Vassalo De
Silva, was from the Engineers, and had made demolition chambers in all the
bridges, with explosives attached for rapid demolition. However, the
company of 2 Para managed to find a safe crossing point and secured the
home bank, enabling Indian tanks, guns and vehicles to cross the river. The
Portuguese had not been able to fire all the demolition charges, and only
those at the two ends had exploded. The single span had fallen down but

was undamaged. Using marine jacks, the span was lifted, and with the