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Jessore and Jhenida liberated
Jubilant crowds welcome Indian Army Troops as key cities fall in East

DEC 7 : EASTERN SECTOR: The day turned out to be one of dramatic breakthrus for the Indian Army in the Eastern front. Key cities in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh have fallen to the advancing Indian Army Troops. The soldiers have been hailed as liberators and been greeted with jubilant crowds at all places.

The first major town to fall in East Pakistan was in II Corps sector. The town of Jhenida was taken by troops of 9 Dogra supported by Tanks. Jhenida fell in the afternoon , and a large quantity of equipment and ammunition fell in our hands.

The quick fall of Jhenida prompted the Divisional Commander to assualt and take the town of Kaliganj which fell after some fanatical fighting from the enemy.

Further south, in 9 Inf Div area under II Corps, the city of Jessore was taken by our advancing forces. 7 Punjab was the first battallion to enter the city. Apparently most of the Pakistani troops holding the city have decided to fall back to Khulna at the last moment and have evacuated from Jessore in haste. Also in our hands is Jessore airfield which is a major airfield in East Pakistan after Dhaka and Chittagong. The IAF is scheduled to send a detachment of aircraft to operate from this advance airfield, once it has been prepared ready for operations.

With the capture of both Jessore and Jhenida, II Corps is the best placed among all formations to make a quick advance to Dhaka. The days to come will reveal if II Corps will be able to pull it off.

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An Indian T-55 Tank commencing the second part of its advance from Jessore towards Khulna, which is 35 km away

To the north in XXXIII Corps area, 20 Mtn Division continued its operations against Pakistani forces in Pirganj and Bogra area. The town of Pirganj was taken by 340 Brigade and by noon it was in our hands. The towns capture was so sudden and surprising that a Pakistani High Ranking Officer got nearly captured on an inspection visit. Though the officer escaped, His jeep was captured with important maps and documents.

Heliborne Operations:

For the first time, the Army executed Heli-lifting of troops into the battle field. IV Corps had undertaken this venture at the Pakistani city of Sylhet. Unspecified number of troops from 4/5 Gorkha Rifles under Lt Col A B Harolikar has been helilifted to a

position just outside Sylhet. The detachment is facing oppositon from the enemy troops but has well managed to hold its own.

Indian troops are also on the verge of capturing the town of Brahmanbaria, which is the only stronghold standing in the way of IV Corps before its advance to Ashuganj whcih is the bridgehead over the magnificient Meghna River.

The day has been an extremely eventful day for Eastern Command. ON all the front signifcant gains have been made driving the enemy back deeper towards Dhaka. It is expected that the fight for Dhaka is not far away and it is to be seen as to how much resistance will the Pakistani Army going to show in its defence.