The birth of Pakistan, carved out of India on 14 Aug, 1947, as a result of the two-nation theory left behind wounds that fail to heal. Approximately one million people perished in the inter-communal violence. Innumerable accounts have been written on Partition. Documentaries and movies have narrated the story over and over.
Subsequent to Partition, the princely State of Jammu and Kashmir chose to remain independent, probably with the intent that the Muslim majority State would not be comfortable with India and the Hindu and Sikh minorities would be vulnerable if the state joined Pakistan. Taking advantage of the developments in the State- when uprising by Muslims in Poonch started gaining momentum- Pakistan hatched a plot using Pashtun armed raiders (kabailis) to invade and occupy the State of Jammu and Kashmir under “Operation Gulmarg”.
Early indicators/intelligence of Pakistani intent were revealed by Chief of Staff of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces, Maj Gen H L Scott, to the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan cut off supplies of fuel, sugar and salt to Kashmir causing unrest amongst the people. The Kabailis, supported by Pakistan Army in disguise, attacked through two main axes- Poonch and Muzaffarabad. These invaders, in formation of Lashkars (approx 4000 men), invaded Muzaffarabad on 22 Oct, 1947. Since the invaders were heading towards Baramulla with the aim of wresting control of Srinagar Airport, the tactical defence at Uri by the State Forces of Maharaja was a pivotal delaying action. Brigadier Rajinder Singh, who succeeded Gen Scott as the Chief of Staff of State Forces, fought the invaders gallantly at Saran Khowan De Bagh, Muzaffarabad, with 200 soldiers. However, being outnumbered, he was forced to withdraw. Whilst retreating, he destroyed the Uri bridge, thus halting the movement of the kabailis for some time. Brigadier Rajinder Singh was martyred on 27 Oct, fighting near Boniyar. The resistance offered by the forces gave the Maharaja time to take a decision and sign the Instrument of Accession on the evening of 26 Oct, 1947.
The invaders had initially planned a five-day operation to take over Srinagar Airport. However, after Uri, the invaders entered Baramulla. Instead of moving onward towards Srinagar, the Kabailis committed the tactical mistake of staying back at Baramulla and the adjacent villages for two days- carrying out loot, arson, rape, killings and plunder of properties, mostly of the minority community. Meanwhile, following the signing of the Instrument of Accession, the 1st battalion of Sikh Regiment landed at Srinagar Airport on the morning of 27 Oct and took control of the situation. The Indian forces fought the Kabailis at Khwaja Bagh, Baramulla, Pattan, Budgam and Shalteng, forcing the invaders to withdraw. Lt Col D R Rai of 1st battalion, Sikh regiment was martyred at Khwaja Bagh, Baramulla and Major Somnath Sharma of 4th battalion, Kumaon regiment at Badgam. Finally, the Kabailis retreated and were chased by the Indian Army till Uri. Whilst retreating, they killed innocent civilians, including Muhammad Maqbool Sherwani at Baramulla. Sherwani had guided the Sikhs to take a different route to escape the Kabailis.
Supreme Sacrifice of Sikhs
In September 1947, when things started building up in Pakistan with an imminent attack planned on Jammu and Kashmir, Akali Kor Singh from Punjab sent a message to Sikhs of Muzaffarabad asking them to be vigilant. At that stage, Sant Gurbaksh Singh Danna, Jathedar Kapur Singh and Giani Ujagar Singh toured various villages to apprise the Sikhs of the prevailing situation. Jathedar Kapur Singh also convened a meeting of the Shiromani Khalsa Dal at Gurdwara Amira Kadal, Srinagar.
Prior to the attack by the Kabailis, Prithvinath Wanchoo, a Public Works Department (PWD) engineer and Sadhu Singh of village Khadniyar, were in Muzaffarabad on an official tour. When the city was attacked, they fled to Baramulla informing the Sikhs about the Kabaili raid. Sardar Kala Singh Raina, who fled from Ghaddi Hateyan, met Sardar Tara Singh Musafir, Sardar Mohan Singh Bali, and Sardar Nand Singh Kanlibagh. These Sikhs met the Deputy Commissioner Chaudhary Faiz Ullah who apprised them that the Kabailis would be heading to Srinagar. He asked the Sikhs to move into the jungles. The Sikhs moved to Singhpora, Dardpura and Ichama (to name a few).
The Sikhs fought the Kabailis at every front with courage and bravery delaying their advance to Srinagar Airport. Many Sikhs, including women and children, attained martyrdom. Some Sikhs were killed in Kanaspora. One of the villagers, Sultan Dar, carried the bodies to a house and set it on fire to give the slain a dignified funeral. At village Chandosa, two muslim villagers- Khalik Sheikh and Mohammad Sheikh- helped Sardarni Ghoni Kaur cremate the bodies of the martyred Sikhs. The Kabailis attacked village Atna on 01 Nov, 1947 and started loot and arson. A courageous woman, Mata Ganga Kaur came out with a sword in her hand to fight and motivate Sikhs. However, she suffered a bullet injury and succumbed to her wounds.
Kamraz, on the other axis of River Jhelum, had many villages with significant Sikh population. Here, the Sikhs left their homes and property and assembled at a Gurdwara in Village Satarna. A conscious decision was taken to move towards Srinagar. Sardar Harnam Singh Ranger of Wampura recited the prayer and the Sikhs left Satarna. Near Sopore, they reached a marshy land (Nambli) at Bulgam Choora, where they were tricked by passing Kabailis who drew them out of hiding by raising Sikh Slogans. Almost 450 to 500 Sikhs were killed. Some of them managed to escape to Srinagar whilst others returned to their native villages.
The Sikhs who had come from Karnah to Chogal were advised by the Kashmiri pandits living there not to move to Sopore. Sardarni Salinder Kaur, wife of Sardar Sital Singh Raina, distinctly remembers the chain of events how the Sikhs at Sopore tried to kill the women to save their dignity. Some of the women jumped into river Jhelum. She herself had cuts on her limbs but managed to escape to her village Patusa. She recalls how a local, Ghulam Mohd Mir, helped them with food and shelter. In Village Mandna, kind-hearted villagers like Sultan Tantarey, Gaffar Tantarey and Razzak Goria pleaded with the Kabailis not to harm Sikhs.
Thus, the supreme sacrifice by the Sikhs, who, after the breach of the State Forces’ forward defence by the invading raiders, formed the principal civilian line of determined resistance, delayed the movement of the Kabailis to Srinagar. The Kashmiris, in the spirit of indigenous secularism and brotherhood (now termed Kashmiriyat), fought together in the defence of the Valley and the nation. However, it was the Sikhs of Baramulla, Kamraz, Karnah, and Budgam who faced the brunt.
The role and sacrifices of the Sikh community during this defining chapter have been documented by locals, eyewitnesses and other contemporary accounts. The supreme sacrifice of the Sikh martyrs deserves enduring public recognition through a dedicated memorial. Such a memorial would not only honour their sacrifice but would also preserve for posterity an inspiring chapter in the history of the defence of Jammu and Kashmir and the nation during the Kabaili raid of 1947.
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