Dated 04th  December 1971 , Saturday

Rupees 0.25 Paise

Navy claims "Submarine Attacked, probably sunk"

Dec 04 VIZAG Unofficial reports emanating from Visakhapatnam say that one of the Indian Navy's Destroyers INS Rajput in the Eastern fleet made a sonar contact yesterday around midnight. The Ship had carried out a depth charge attack and after observing no results had moved off. However, an explosion was heard after some time in the vicinity and some fishermen have reported a "big black object lying in the water". Further details are awaited.

The FOC-in-C  Vice Admiral N Krishnan said he would release details later as soon as confirmation is recieved.

Dec 04, Western Front: In response to the full scale escalation of Hostilities, the Indian Air Force today launched a massive retaliationn effort against targets in East and West Pakistan. Indian Bombers and fighters have been mounting raids on Pakistani airfields and other targets since yesterday night and are believed to have caused severe damage to enemy aircraft and installations across the frontline.

The IAF undertook 164 Sorties against targets in West Pakistan. Airfields like Peshawar, Kohat, Sargodha, Risalawala, Shorkot, Pasrur, Masroor, Murid, Mianwali, Chaklala  were  attacked    and considerable damage was inflicted in strikes on these airfields.

Hunter Operations

Hunters of No.20 and 27 Squadron stationed at Pathankot flew missions against Peshawar, Murid, Mianwali and Chaklala airfields.

A Gun Camera Picture released by the IAF shows an exploding Sabre in the black circle

Two Sabres were destroyed on the ground  on the very first raid on Peshawar and another was shot down in Aircombat by the CO, Wg Cdr C V Parker. A Number of small light aircraft and a C-130 transport

were destroyed at Chaklala while a Mirage III aircraft was destroyed at Murid airfield.   Another strike by No.27 Squadron over Murid airfield managed to shoot down a Mirage in aircombat but the pilot did not return. No.20 Squadron lost an aircraft in these strikes.

The pilot Fg Off K P Muralidharan is missing. Another Pilot Fg Off V D Chati has gone missing from a raid on Mianwali.

The Enemy bomber force of B-57 bombers based at Masroor was dealth a blow when a Hunter raid by Wg Cdr Conquest destroyed five of the bombers at Masroor in a dusk attack. All of our aircraft reached base safely.

A Sukhoi-7 returning from Ops on Saturday afternoon at a forward air base

S-22 Operations

Sukhoi fighter bombers too under took many o...[Read Full Story]

Dec 04, Jammu and Kashmir: Proving that the air attacks on India is a premeditated and well thought out plan, Pakistani troops have launched offensives in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the Chamb and Poonch sectors.

Poonch attacked

Soon after the air attacks   yesterday, Troops of the Pakistani army began shelling forward positions on nightfall at Poonch. Two major posts of Thanpir and Chandak were occupied by the Pakistanis and an Indian Army convoy travelling on the Surankot-Poonch road was ambushed. However Indian troops beat the attack back...[Read Full Story]

Previous Issues

Dec 04, Eastern Sector: The IAF in the Eastern Sector today launched mission after mission to hit at the heart of the Pakistani Air Force in East Pakistan. The airbase at Dacca came under attack continously throughout the day as the Pakistanis made some vain attempts to protect the airfield.

Five of the enemy fighters were shot down in aircombat and another three of the Sabres were destroyed on the ground. Another half a dozen transport and light aircraft were also destroyed on the ground at Tejgaon airfield the home base of the PAF fighter squadron. The day started with airraids carried out by Hunter fighter bombers of Nos 14, 7,37 and 17 Squadrons based at Kalaikunda and Hashimara.

In several aircombats the Hunter pilots shot down as many as five of the

dreaded F-86 Sabres. A follow up raid by the Sukhoi-7 Squadron led by Wg Cdr Sridharan destroyed another three F-86 Sabres on the ground. However one pilot Sqn Ldr V Bhutani failed to return from the raid. 

No.14 lost two pilots in the morning an afternoon raids.

Sqn Ldr K D Mehra and Fg Off Tremenhere were reported missing in action after thier aircraft were shot down by Sabres. Both pilots were seen parachuting into enemy territory.

The CO of No.14 Wg Cdr Sunderesan shot down one of the Sabres they ...[Read Full Story]

Prime Minister addresses Parliament

Dec 04 NEW DELHI:   The Prime minister Mrs Indira Gandhi today addressed the Lok Sabha during the emergency session called after the outbreak of the war. In her speech she recounted the happenings of the previous day and reiterated India's commitment to stand by the Mukti Bahini and the free will of the Bengali population. She had mentioned about the state of emergency being declared and the Defence of India bill being adopted.

She made a special appeal to the woman of the country to save every possible grain and rupee to avoid waste. "The sacrifice of each of us will build the nations strength and enduring power"

Dec 04, Eastern Sector: The Indian army in the Eastern sector today had launched an all-out offensive that saw it making inroads into East pakistan capturing many towns and Pakistani Army strongholds. Severe casualities were inflicted on the Pakistani army and many troops were taken prisoners

Darsana and Kotchandpur taken: Operating from the  western   side of   East

Pakistan Lt Gen T N Raina's II Corps had captured the major towns of Darsana and Kotchandpur. Brig A H E Michigan's 41 Mtn Brigade had was tasked with capturing Darsana andafter heavy fighting, the the 5/1 Gorkha Rifles Bn under Lt Col C Venugopal not only captured Darsana but also the nieghbouring town of Uthali.

Meanwhile 62 Mtn Brigade under Brig Jaswant Singh

occupied the stronghold of Kotchandpur after heavy fighting. The Indian troops advancing into the town were given a rousing welcome by the Bengali population as Liberators from the oppression of troops from West Pakistan.

Hilli and Charkai in the north falls: Further north in the Balurghat Hilli region, Lt Gen M L Thapan's XXXIII Corps had taken Hilli railway station... [Read Full Story]