Page 290 - Leadership in the Indian Army

four battalions. This was reported by the IAF, which flew a tactical
reconnaissance mission over Maulvi Bazar the next day. Sagat immediately
ordered Krishna Rao to occupy Maulvi Bazar, which he did. In a Pakistani

officers’ mess, they found lunch laid on the table, uneaten.
This was the first time an ‘air bridge’ had been employed by the Indian
Army. Being a paratrooper, Sagat knew the potential of a heli-borne force
and the immense advantages that could accrue from its employment at the
opportune moment. The enemy was demoralised, and made no efforts to
attack 4/5 Gorkha Rifles. As he had visualised, the noise of the helicopters
misled the Pakistanis, and they overestimated the strength of the troops that

had landed by helicopter. By resorting to a clever, unorthodox ploy, Sagat
was able to capture Maulvi Bazar without a single shot being fired.
In the central sector of 4 Corps, 57 Mountain Division commenced its
advance with two brigades: 73 Mountain Brigade, under Brigadier M.L.
Tuli, went for Gangasagar, while 311 Mountain Brigade, under Brigadier
Misra, attacked Akhaura. It was during the battle for Gangasagar, which

was captured after a stiff battle, that the only PVC of the Bangladesh
campaign was won by Lance-Naik (a naik is the Indian equivalent of a
corporal) Albert Ekka of 14 Guards. Akhaura also fell on 5 December to 4
Guards and 18 Rajput of 311 Mountain Brigade. At this stage, it was
reported by patrols that one pair of lines of the double track railway line
running to Brahmanbaria had been removed, making it usable by vehicles,
and that the captured bridge over the Titas was intact. Sagat promptly

changed the task of 57 Mountain Division and ordered it to head to
Ashuganj by way of Brahmanbaria, instead of going for Daudkandi. This
was a crucial decision and led to a quickening of the operations of 4 Corps
and its crossing of the Meghna.
Brahmanbaria, which was in the loop formed by the river Titas, was
strongly defended by the Pakistanis. However, the troops holding it were

expecting a frontal assault from the south-east, and when 73 Brigade sent
columns to the west and south, they evacuated the town and began to
withdraw towards Ashuganj. 311 Brigade of 57 Division pursued the
withdrawing enemy upto the east bank of the Meghna, and the leading
elements of 57 Division contacted Ashuganj on 9 December. By now, the
Pakistanis were well entrenched at Ashuganj and not prepared to give it up
without a fight. They let the Indian troops enter the built-up area and then

opened fire. Taken by surprise, the Indians were forced to fall back after