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Ladakh Scouts take Turtok village
Small force of doughty fighters led by a locally born Major

Dec 14, Ladakh: The operations in this sector can be rightly be termed as "Battles on top of the world". The troops in this sector had to assault and occupy posts sometimes upto 18000 feet altitude. The Partapur Sector as its known here is under the command of Colonel Udai Singh.

The operations in this sector are being undertaken by troops of the Ladakh Scouts Battalion assisted by the militia Nubra Guards. The Nubra Guards is an ad-hoc trained civilian force that was provided arms and training in fifteen days flat. Since almost all of its members were the tough ladakhis, coping with the extreme conditions in this area is easy for them.

Leading the motley mixture of Ladakh Scouts and the Nubra Guards is Major Chewang Rinchen, MVC and SM. Major Rinchen is a legend in these areas among the Ladakhis. He was originally a member of the Nubra Guards during the 1948 Kashmir Operations. He was one of the youngest soldiers to receive the MVC in that operations. Subsequently Major Rinchen was awarded a second gallantry award, the Sena Medal for his role during the 1962 Indo China War.

This combat proven soldier started his offensive in the Shyok valley more than a week back. His troops had earlier taken posts in the Chalunka complex, including the daunting Pt18402, the highest post ever taken by the Indian Army till date. Supported by an ad-hoc artillery battery of 4.2 inch mortars, Rinchen led his force taking out post after post. Most of the Pakistani positions were not held by their regular troops but by a paramilitary force. Evicting them proved to be a comparatively easy task. Each post was assaulted by an outflanking movement in which one team would lob grenades while the other would wear the enemy out by precision fire. On some occasions, the troops resorted to Bayonet charge too.

Major Chowang Rinchen addresses villagers of Turtok after the occupation of the Pakistani village.

Turtok village is the major village in this area and its capture would seal the fate of the Turtok sector and the posts in the shyok Valley. The Ladakhis mounted their offensive last night. but to their surprise found that the key village was completely deserted by the enemy. The villagers have informed that the Pakistanis had evacuated and left as soon as news on the earlier posts having fallen poured in. Maj Rinchen, then held a meeting where he addressed the villagers of Turtok. and welcomed them to be a 'part of' the Indian Union. All in all till date Rinchen's column had advanced 12 miles and hundreds of square kilometers of territory has fallen into our hands. No mean feat in such atrocious climatic conditions.