While the Jammu region on Friday celebrated accession of J-K with India on this day in 1947, strict restrictions were imposed in…
While the Jammu region on Friday celebrated accession of J-K with India on this day in 1947, strict restrictions were imposed in the Kashmir valley to thwart violence as the separatists had given a call for shutdown and observing it as a “black day”.
The Army observed it as Infantry Day to pay homage to soldiers of the 1st Sikh battalion, which reached Srinagar to fight Pakistan-backed tribals trying to invade Kashmir.
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This was the first infantry action of the Indian Army after Independence of the country.
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The then ruler Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on 26 October and the British Governor General lord Mountbatten accepted it on 27 October, which paved the way for the Indian Army to land in Srinagar to fight Pakistani raiders.
The BJP leaders had urged Mehbooba Mufti to declare the Accession Day as holiday. However, the PDP, which is in alliance with the BJP, decided to skip the celebrations.
In Kashmir region, the separatists, Syed AliShah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik had asked people to observe it as “black day”. Curfew-like restrictions were imposed downtown Srinagar due to which, Friday prayers could not be held in the Jamia Masjid.
Train services were suspended as a precautionary measure in the valley. The separatists drafted a four-point resolution against the presence of Indian Army in Kashmir.
The Udhampur based Northern Command, Nagrota based 26 Corps and the Chinar Corps in Srinagar celebrated the Infantry Day.
GOC-in-Chief of the Northern Command, Lt General D Anbu laid wreath at the Dhurva Shahid Smarak and complimented all ranks of Infantry for their devotion to duty and indomitable spirit while working under trying and difficult conditions.
He commended their tremendous contribution in maintaining the sanctity of the nation’s borders and fighting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
On 27 October 1947, the Battalion Headquarters and a company of the First Battalion of the Sikh Regiment, hastily mustered from internal security duties in Gurgaon, were flown to Srinagar. These soldiers fought a gallant action tooth and nail and reversed the tide of the battle when the enemy was merely 30 miles from Srinagar.
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