Tangail Airdrop

The Tangail Airdrop was a successful battalion-size airborne forces's paratroopers operation mounted on 11 December 1971 by the 2nd Battalion (Special Operations) (2 PARA) of the Indian Army's Parachute Regiment during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 for the liberation of Bangladesh. The main objective of the operation was the capture of Poongli Bridge on the Jamuna River which would cut off the Pakistani 93rd Brigade which was retreating from Mymensingh in the north to defend the capital of East Pakistan, Dhaka, and its approaches. The paratroop unit was also tasked to link up with the advancing Maratha Light Infantry on the ground to advance towards the East Pakistani capital.[1]

Tangail airdrop
Part of the Bangladesh Liberation War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Date11 December 1971
Location
Tangail, East Pakistan
Result

Indian victory

Belligerents
 India  Pakistan
Commanders and leaders
Lt Col K.S. Pannu Brig. Abdul Qadir Khan
Units involved
 Indian Army Indian 2nd Parachute Battalion
1 Maratha LI
49 Parachute Field Battery		 Pakistani Army 93rd Brigade
Strength
Indian 2nd Parachute Battalion – 1000 PARA SF.
1 Maratha LI – Strength unknown		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown
Military organization
Typical units Typical numbers Typical commander
fireteam 2–4 lance corporal,
corporal
squad,
section		 5–14 corporal,
sergeant,
staff sergeant
platoon,
troop		 15–45 second lieutenant,
first lieutenant,
lieutenant
company,
battery,
squadron		 80–250 first lieutenant,
captain,
major
battalion,
cohort		 300–1000 major,
lieutenant colonel
regiment,
brigade,
legion		 1,000–5,500 colonel,
brigadier general
division 10,000–25,000 major general
corps 30,000–50,000 lieutenant general
field army 100,000–300,000 colonel general,
general
army group,
front		 2+ field armies field marshal,
general,
admiral
region,
theater		 4+ army groups marshal of the air force,
general of the army,
admiral of the fleet
Pakistani Eastern Command plan for the defence of East Pakistan from 1967 to 1971 (generic representation—some unit locations not shown.

Operation

Para drop

A battalion of paratroopers led by Lt Col Kulwant Singh Pannu was reinforced by an artillery battery of 17 Para Field Regiment, an engineering detachment, an ADS, a surgical team and other administrative troops from 50th (Indep) Parachute Brigade. Tasked to cut off the retreat of the Pakistani troops from the north towards Dacca, the unit touched ground at 4:30pm and were greeted by a jubilant crowd of local people, with some even helping the troops carry their packs and ammunition. The drop was dispersed over a wide area, but the Paras regrouped quickly and commenced their attack. By 7.00pm they had captured their main objective, cutting off the Pakistani 93 Brigade retreating from the north. Link-up with 1 Maratha LI was established after the Marathas broke through at Tangail Road and reached the bridgehead that very evening. The Pakistanis, attempting to retake the bridge rushed the Indian positions that evening, however, were repulsed.[1]

The Tangail Airdrop operation involved An-12, C-119s, 2 Caribous and Dakotas from 11 sqn and 48 Sqn. The IAF also carried out feint drops using dummies dropped from Caribou aircraft to hide the true location and extent of the operation. The only hitch was a Hangup from the lead Dakota. One Paratrooper had a static line hangup, who, after carrying out emergency procedures, was dropped safely about 50 miles away.[1]

Pakistani war crimes
Main article: 1971 Bangladesh genocide

Indian Army which took over the Poongli Bridge from the Pakistani Army was "shocked" at "the sight of mutilated bodies of women, whom the Pakistani troops had killed just before fleeing from Poongli Bridge."[1]

During the larger war there were widespread killings and other atrocities by the Pakistani Army – including the displacement of civilians in Bangladesh (East Pakistan at the time) and widespread violations of human rights began with the start of Operation Searchlight on 25 March 1971. Members of the Pakistani military and supporting militias (Razakar) killed estimated between 300,000[2] to 3,000,000 people and raped 200,000–400,000 Bangladeshi women in a systematic campaign of genocidal rape.[3][4][5]

Aftermath

The Tangail Airdrop and the subsequent capture of the Poongli bridge gave the advancing Indian Army, assisted by Kader Bahini, the maneuverability to side-step the strongly held Tongi-Dacca Road to take the undefended Manikganj-Dacca Road right up to Mirpur Bridge at the gates of Dacca (Dhaka).

Pakistan Army's 93,000 troops unconditionally surrendered to the Indian Army and India's local ally Mukti Bahini on 16 December 1971.[6] This day and event is commemorated as the Bijoy Dibos (Bengali: বিজয় দিবস) in Bangladesh and Vijay Diwas in India.[7][8]

Battle Awards

Indian commander Lt Col Kulwant Singh was awarded the MVC for his leadership in battle. The 2Paras were subsequently the first Indian forces to enter Dacca. For this and their role in Capture of the strategic bridge, the Paras received battle honour for Poongli Bridge and theatre honours for Dacca.

See also

References
  1. As a young captain in 1971 Bangladesh war, I gave Pakistan’s Lt-Gen the letter to surrender, My battalion in the Air Force, 2 PARA, was the first troops to enter ‘Dacca’ after Pakistan’s defeat., LT GEN NIRBHAY SHARMA (RETD), ThePrint, 11 December 2019.
  2. "Bangladesh war: The article that changed history – Asia". BBC. 25 March 2010.
  3. Sharlach 2000, pp. 92–93.
  4. Sajjad 2012, p. 225.
  5. White, Matthew, Death Tolls for the Major Wars and Atrocities of the Twentieth Century
  6. Team, Editorial (17 December 2017). "Why Do India Celebrate 'Vijay Diwas' On 16th December". SSBToSuccess. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  7. "About us". Liberation War Museum. Archived from the original on 8 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  8. Team, Editorial (17 December 2017). "Why Do India Celebrate 'Vijay Diwas' On 16th December". SSBToSuccess. Retrieved 18 December 2017.

Sources
  • Sajjad, Tazreena (2012). "The Post-Genocidal Period and its Impact on Women". In Samuel Totten (ed.). Plight and Fate of Women During and Following Genocide (Reprint ed.). Transaction. pp. 219–248. ISBN 978-1412847599.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Sharlach, Lisa (2000). "Rape as Genocide: Bangladesh, the Former Yugoslavia, and Rwanda". New Political Science. 1 (22): 89–102. doi:10.1080/713687893.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

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