Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of India's Greatest Military Victory

Paras dropped near Dhaka
Troops from the Parachute Brigade land at Tangail, 100km away

DEC 11 : EASTERN SECTOR: Today afternoon at around 4.30pm, a large fleet of Indian Air Force transport aircraft dropped nearly a 1000 Parachute troops belonging to the 50th Parachute Brigade at the town of Tangail, hardly 100 km away from Dhaka.  The task of this force was mainly to cut off the retreat of Pakistani troops from the north towards Dhaka, and also link up with our forces and advance towards the East pakistani capital.

The Para group is believed to consist of troops from the 2nd Para Battalion, led by Lt Col Kulwant Singh Pannu, aided by an Artillery battery of guns, an Engineering detachment and other administrative troops from 50th Brigade.  The airdrop was carried out by a variety of aircraft including 6 An-12, 20 Packets, 2 Caribous and 2 Dakotas.

To mislead the enemy regarding the correct location of the main drop, the IAF also carried out some fient drops where dummys were dropped from Caribou aircraft.

The soldiers who were dropped have been greeted with jubilant crowds at all places as usual, many local villagers even helped the Paras carry their equipment and ammunition.

There were no mishaps except for Hangup from the lead Dakota. One Paratrooper had a static line hangup and after carrying out emergency procedures he was dropped safely about 50 miles away. No information has been recieved about him as yet. One aircraft had returned without dropping its load of 40 Paras.

The Paras dropped on the ground had regrouped and captured thier main objective, the Poongli Bridge by 7.00pm. The Bridge would sucessfully cut of the retreat of the Pakistani 93 Brigade expected to withdraw from the north.

C-119 Packet aircraft dropping Paratroops near Tangail, about 150 km from Dhaka.

The paratroopers position at the Bridge reportedly came under attack at around 8.00pm. Pakistani troops attempted to rush the positions of the troops holding the bridge and have been severely mauled. More than 150 Pakistani troops are either dead or wounded. A Vehicle column has been ambushed and hit by rockets too.

There is no information as to what the next objective of these troops is going to be, but the presence of Indian Troops hardly 100 km away from Dhaka on an undefended road approach is sure to jolt the Pakistani High command.

This coupled with the arrivial of the troops by Helicopters at Narsingdi in the North East have now constituted a serious threat to the East Pakistani Capital of Dacca.

Meanwhile the troops of IV Corps too are advancing towards Dacca. The forward base at Narsindi is being built up with troops helilifted from Brahmanbaria. Aritllery guns too have been flown in. Once it is finished,   Approximately two brigades of army troops are now poised to resume thier advance to Dhaka supported by two troops of tanks which were floated across the Meghna yesterday.  

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