View source for Battle of Dhalai

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{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict    = Battle of Dhalai
| width       = 
| partof      = [[Bangladesh Liberation War]]
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| date        = 28 October — 3 November 1971<br />({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=10|day1=28|year1=1971|month2=11|day2=3|year2=1971}})
| place       = Dhalai, [[Bangladesh]]
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| result      = Indian army capture Dhalai<ref name="theprint"/>
| status      = 
| combatants_header = 
| combatant1  = {{flagicon|Bangladesh|1971}} [[Bangladesh]]<br> {{flagicon|India}} [[India]]
| combatant2  = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} [[Pakistan]]
| commander1  ={{flagicon|India|army}} Lt. Gen [[Sagat Singh]]<ref name="tom"/><br>{{flagicon|India|army}} Brigadier [[Kailas Prasad Pandey]]<ref name="tom">{{cite web|url=https://m.tribuneindia.com/news/features/brig-tom-pande-the-maha-vir-284906|title=Brig 'Tom' Pande, the Maha Vir|date=18 July 2021|work=Tribune India}}</ref><br>{{flagicon|India|army}} Lt. Col. Devasan{{WIA}}<br>{{flagicon|India|army}} Brigadier Shiv Yadav{{WIA}}<ref name="tom"/><ref name="artillery"/><br>{{flagicon|Bangladesh|1971}} Major [[Mohammad Ziauddin (Military Officer)|Mohammad Ziauddin]]
| commander2  = {{flagicon|Pakistan|army}} Major Javed{{KIA}}
| units1      = {{flagicon|Bangladesh|1971}}  1st [[East Bengal Regiment]]<br>{{flagicon|India|army}} 61 Mountain Brigade<ref name="theprint"/><br>{{flagicon|India|army}} 7 [[Rajputana Rifles]]<ref name="jungle odyssey"/><br>{{flagicon|India|army}} 2 Artillery Brigade<ref name="artillery">{{cite book|last=Khullar|first=Darshan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CBK7DgAAQBAJ&dq=dhalai+1971&pg=PT298|title=Themes of Glory: Indian Artillery in War|publisher=Vij Books India Pvt Ltd|year=2017|isbn=9789385563973}}</ref>
| units2      = {{flagicon|Pakistan|army}} [[12th Frontier Force Regiment|12 Frontier Force]]<ref name="theprint"/>
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}}
The '''Battle of Dhalai''' was a battle fought between Pakistan and India before the formal start [[1971 India-Pakistan War]] for the [[Bangladesh Liberation War|liberation of Bangladesh]].<ref name="theprint">{{cite news | url= https://theprint.in/opinion/even-before-1971-war-started-with-pakistan-india-had-won-the-battle/152975/ | title= Even before 1971 war started with Pakistan, India had won the battle | author=AVM ARJUN SUBRAMANIAM (RETD) | date=22 November 2018 | work= The Print (India) | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181122115637/https://theprint.in/opinion/even-before-1971-war-started-with-pakistan-india-had-won-the-battle/152975/ | archive-date= 22 November 2018 | url-status= live | accessdate=3 December 2019 }}</ref> The battle started after an attack by Indian army on Pakistani [[border outpost]] (BOP) in [[East Pakistan]] on 28 October and lasted until 3 November 1971. Three infantry battalions belonging to 61 Mountain Brigade, one battalion belonging to [[East Bengal Regiment]]  and 7 [[Rajputana Rifles]] supported by an artillery sized brigade of Indian army<ref name="jungle odyssey"/><ref name="artillery"/> fought against a battalion sized 12 Frontier Force of Pakistan army.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/even-before-1971-war-started-with-pakistan-india-had-won-the-battle/152975/|title=Even before 1971 war started with Pakistan, India had won the battle|author=AVM ARJUN SUBRAMANIAM (RETD)|work=The Print|date=22 November 2018|quote=Located right on the border between Tripura and East Pakistan and about 35 kilometre south-east of the important town of Maulvi Bazaar, the verdant gardens saw a pitched battle for over three days between 61 Brigade and 12 Frontier Force, a Pakistan Army battalion from 14 Division.}}</ref><ref name="jungle odyssey">{{cite book | title= Jungle Odyssey (A Soldiers Memoirs) | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XU26DQAAQBAJ | author=Major General Ashok Kalyan Verma | publisher= KW publisher Pvt Ltd. | date= 15 May 2013 |isbn = 9789385714771| accessdate= 5 December 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | date= 17 December 2013 | title= Notable battles in the 11 Sectors | url =http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/dec/17/notable-battles-11-sectors | newspaper= Dhaka Tribune | access-date= 27 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url= http://defencejournal.com/dec98/battle-dhalai.htm | title = Battle of Dhalai | magazine=Defence Journal | date=December 1998 |pages=30-36 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991007045605/http://defencejournal.com/dec98/battle-dhalai.htm |archive-date=7 October 1999}}</ref>

The task to capture Dhalai was initially given to [[Mukti Bahini]]. However, Mukti Bahini assault on Pakistani positions in Dhalai was unsuccessful. Later the Indian army took the task of capturing Dhalai. Pakistani troops under the command of Major Javed fought valiantly against the Indian troops.<ref name="jungle odyssey"/> After suffering fair number of casualties as result of fierce resistance put up by Frontier Force, Indian army under the command of Sagat Singh was able to capture Dhalai.<ref name="theprint"/> Pakistan troops in the area withdrew and Major Javed of Pakistan army was killed in the battle. Brigadier Shiv Yadav,<ref name="tom"/> the Brigade commander and Lt. Col. Devasan of 7 Rajputana Rifles of Indian army were also badly injured in this battle.<ref name="jungle odyssey"/> [[Hamidur Rahman]] of [[East Bengal Regiment]] was also killed in this battle.

==Awards==
[[Hamidur Rahman]] of [[East Bengal Regiment]] was posthumously awarded the [[Bir Sreshtho]], Bangladesh's highest award for valor, for his actions during the conflict.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.thedailystar.net/october-28-1971-54190 | title= October 28, 1971 | work=The Daily Star | date= 9 December 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-115066 | title= War heroes honoured | work=The Daily Star | date= 29 November 2009 }}</ref>

General Sagat Singh was highly impressed by Brigadier Pandey's performance during the battle and he recommended him for [[Maha Vir Chakra]], India's second highest military award.<ref name="tom"/>

==See also==
* [[Timeline of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
* [[Military plans of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]
* [[Mitro Bahini order of battle]]
* [[Pakistan Army order of battle, December 1971]]
* [[Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan]]
* [[1971 Bangladesh genocide]]
* [[Operation Searchlight]]
* [[India-Pakistan wars and conflicts]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Campaignbox Indo-Pakistani War of 1971}}
{{Campaignbox Bangladesh Liberation War}}
{{1971 Indo-Pak War}}
{{Bangladesh Liberation War}}

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[[Category:Battles of the Bangladesh Liberation War]]