Thread by @meemainseen

The Gentlemen Gorkhas
The Balochi Sultan
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2/5 Gorkha Rifles (FF) a decorated Indian Unit fought at Pir Ganj and Bogra in Dec of 71
They built a road block at Pir Ganj and in a daring move crossed Karatoa River almost capturing Pak divisional and brigade commanders in an ambush

Gen Tajammul, who then commanded the famed Hilli Brigade tells us an interesting tale
On 7 Dec GOC had asked Tajammul to accompany him to Rangpur
"He told me it was only a short visit and we would be back by evening"
As they drove to Pirganj they came across a tank within 400 yds

Tajammul was first to ask, "whose tanks are these"
Gen Nazar replied, "the enemy's"
Tajammul says as per their assessment Karatoa river was considered impassable
In crossing the river and laying the daring ambush the valiant Gorkhas had achieved complete surprise

Tajammul and Nazar along with an escort managed to escape
The story of their survival in a land infested with Mukti rebels and invaded by Indians is a story for another day
For now we shall head back to Gorkha Defences at Pir Ganj
Hastily dug in they now awaited a counter attack

The much anticipated attack came late into the night
It was Charlie Company under Maj Itbar Singh that faced an attack by two companies of 32 Baloch
Leading from front was their commanding officer, Lt Col Sultan
In a hand to hand combat he'd face one Capt Jatandar Nath

After the war an article appeared in The Hindu
"One intrepid Pakistani Officer leading a bayonet charge into the guts of 2/5 GR, was slashed with a khukri by an equally brave officer Capt Jatandar Nath Sood
His blood soaked epaulets identified him
Lt Col Raja Sultan
CO 32 Baloch"

"As his body lowered into grave, one Gorkha JCO threw in Sultan's badges of rank looked up towards the heaven and muttered
Let him also know this Sultan Bahadur was a Lieutenant Colonel"
It was much later that Itbar Singh, Gorkha Company Commander would send a letter to Pakistan

Col Itbar Singh later into retirement wrote a letter to one Brigadier Nouman
I write to you as one soldier to another
I would like to assure you, and through you to your brother and sister that your brave father Lt Col Raja Sultan Mahmud died while leading his troops from front

He died hardly 5 yards from our forward trenches when shot through his chest by a burst of MMG fire
32 Baloch did make valiant attempts to retrieve the body of their fallen Commanding Officer but in vain
The brave CO and two soldiers of 32 Baloch were given a proper burial

Maj Itbar Singh and the Gentlemen Gorkhas of 2/5 FF arranged a burial under Muslim rites through village locals
A little south of Pirganj are marshes that join through a water channel
Bogra - Rangpur road crosses over this water channel on a small culvert

Down south from the culvert as the road leads to Bogra, at a distance of around 500 yards on the eastern side of the road somewhere lie buried Lt Col Sultan along with two other valiant soldiers of 32 Baloch
They rest in a land that is now a different country

Interested to read on the hand to hand to combat of Lt Col Sultan with Capt Jatandar Nath Sood?
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