Kolkata, Aug 8 — With the Indian Army's Eastern Command preparing to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the 1971 war with Pakistan that led to the liberation of Bangladesh later this year, it has paid tribute to Sepoy Krishna Jagdale, who was honoured with the Vir Chakra for his exceptional courage.

"Sepoy Krishna Jagdale was part of a company of 5 Maratha Light Infantry, which was assigned the task of capturing an enemy post in the Eastern Sector. For clearing this post, his company was being supported by a troop of tanks. During the attack, the company was subjected to very heavy and accurate machine gun and artillery fire," the Eastern Command said on social media platform X.

"Sepoy Krishna Jagdale, with complete disregard for his personal safety, crawled up to the medium machine gun bunker, which was holding up the attack and silenced it with a grenade. Thereafter with his light machine gun, he engaged the remaining enemy machine gun posts till they were silenced," it added.

"Sepoy Krishna Jagdale was awarded Vir Chakra for his undaunted courage, determination, leadership and indomitable spirit. His bravery will inspire the generations to come," the X post said.

Prior to the outbreak of open hostilities, 5 Maratha Light Infantry had been engaged in a number of encounters during aggressive patrolling that had been undertaken in the Eastern Sector.

At the onset of war, the Battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel J.P. Torpy, went into action spearheading the advance along the railway line from Andalbaria towards Safdarpur.

A strong Pakistani position at Suadih that was contacted at first light on December 4, 1971, was overcome by 7 p.m. with determined attacks in phases during the day, led by the initial attack launched by B Company under Major P.K. Chatterjee.

The 'hand-to-hand' fighting that ensued left 28 enemy dead in the trenches and four in the open, with B Company suffering six killed in action and 16 wounded.

The remaining positions at Suadih were overcome without much resistance.

Soon thereafter, the Battalion was ordered to move for assistance in the capture of the Safdarpur railway bridge. Attacks that were launched under cover of artillery fire revealed that the enemy had abandoned the positions and fled.

By 1 a.m. on December 5, Safdarpur had been taken. Contact was established with an enemy position at Elangi across a water body where the bridge had been demolished.

In a patrol encounter that followed, both Lieutenant Ghanekar and Sepoy Vilas Salunke lost their lives, after inflicting casualties on the Pakistanis.

With indications that the enemy was pulling out from their positions, an attack was launched to capture Elangi, but it had been abandoned. Soon thereafter, tragedy struck when the Pakistanis subjected the position to heavy artillery fire including airbursts.

Ten Ganpats (as Maratha troops are called) were killed and 28 wounded, including Lieutenant Colonel Jack Torpy, who had to be evacuated.

With Major C K Karumbaya in command, the Battalion, together with two troops PT 76 tanks and a mechanised infantry company, advanced towards Magura. This was reached by 4 p.m. on December 7, but by then it had been abandoned by the enemy.

Contact was made with enemy positions on December 9 in the Phulbari area, with exchange of shelling and patrol skirmishes.

On December 10, Lieutrenant Colonel Torpy resumed command despite shell splinters still lodged in his body.

On December 14, following an unsuccessful attempt at making the enemy surrender, preparations began for an attack on the enemy positions. This included aggressive patrolling and the marshalling of country boats for crossing the river to get behind the enemy positions.

As preparations were afoot to launch further operations, the Pakistani forces expressed their desire to surrender on the morning of December 16. This was finally effected when, at 3:30 p.m. on that day, Major General M A Ansari, General Officer Commanding of 9 Infantry Division of Pakistan, accompanied by his aide-de-camp drove into the battalion headquarters, and was then taken to 4 Mountain Division Headquarters.

The Battalion lost 20 of its gallant Ganpats and 46 were wounded.

Major Chatterjee, Naik Eknath Kardila and Sepoy Krishna Jagdale were awarded the Vir Chakra.

Lieutenant Colonel Torpy was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal and Major Karumbaya and Sepoy Bajirao Jadhav were awarded the Sena Medal.

Sepoy Vithal Walkunj was 'Mentioned-in-Despatches'.

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