Tangail Airdrop

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Tangail airdrop
Part of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
C-119 aircraft dropping Paratroops near Tangail, about 100 km from Dhaka.
Date 11 December 1971 Location Tangail, East Pakistan. Result •Decisive Indian Victory • Indian 2nd Parachute Battalion capture the Poongli Bridge on the River Jamuna, allowing access to the undefended Manikganj-Dacca Road. • Pakistan 93 Brigade cut-off from retreating and regrouping at Dacca.
Combatants
Indian 2nd Parachute Battalion, 1 Maratha LI	Pakistan Army, unit unknown.
Commanders
Lt Col K.S. Pannu	Unknown
Strength
•Approximately 1000 Partroopers. •Maratha Strength unknown	Unknown
Casualties
Unknown.	Unknown.

The Tangail Airdrop was an airborne operation mounted on 11 December 1971 by the 2nd Parachute Battalion Group of the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The main objective of the operation was the capture of Poongli Bridge on the Jamuna which would cut off the 93 Brigade of Pakistani Army which was retreating from the north to defend Dacca and its approaches. The Paratroop unit was also tasked to link up with the advancing Maratha Light Infantry on the ground to advance towards the East Pakistani capital.

[edit] Objectives

The Paratroopers, numbering 700^{[citation needed]} and led by Lt Col Kulwant Singh Pannu was reinforced by an Artillery battery, an Engineering detachment, an ADS, and a surgical team and other administrative troops from 50th (Indep) Parachute Brigade. Tasked to cut off the retreat of the Pakistani troops from the north towards Dacca, the unit touched ground at 4:30pm and were greeted by a jubilant crowd of local Bengali populace, with some even helping the troops carry their packs and ammunition. The drop was dispersed over a wide area, but the Paras regrouped quickly and commenced their attack. By 7.00pm they had captured their main objective, cutting off the Pakistani 93 Brigade retreating from the north. Link-up with 1 Maratha LI was established after the Marathas broke through at Tangail Road and reached the bridgehead that very evening. The Pakistanis, attempting to retake the bridge rushed the Indian positions that evening, however, were repulsed.

IV Corps operation in 1971. The airborne troops dropped at Tangail were key in halting the retreat of the 93rd Brigade. Capture of the bridgehead also allowed the Indian Army access to two routes to Dacca (red), ensuring manouverabillity to side step Tongi-Dacca road and take the undefended Manikganj Dacca road.

The Tangail Airdrop operation involved An-12, C-119s, 2 Caribous and Dakotas from 11 sqn and 48 Sqn. The IAF also carried out feint drops using dummies dropped from Caribou aircraft to hide the true location and extent of the operation. The only hitch was a Hangup from the lead Dakota. One Paratrooper had a static line hangup, who, after carrying out emergency procedures, was dropped safely about 50 miles away.

[edit] Aftermath

The Tangail Airdrop and the subsequent capture of the Poongli bridge over Jamuna by 2nd Para Bn Gp gave the advancing Indian Army the maneouverabillity to side step the strongly held Tongi-Dacca Road to take the undefended Manikganj-Dacca Road right up to Mirpur Bridge at the gates of Dacca.

[edit] Battle Awards

• Lt Col Kulwant Singh was awarded the MVC for his leadership in battle.

[edit] See also

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
History	Operations and Battles
History •Partition of India •History of Pakistan • Indo-Pakistani Wars • War of 1947 • War of 1965 • Operation Searchlight • Bangladesh Liberation War • Mukti Bahini • Research and Analysis Wing • Mitro Bahini • Operation Jackpot. Indian Army, Summer 1971 • Operation Jackpot. Bangladesh Navy, Autumn 1971		Battles of the 1971 War: • Battle of Atgram Complex • Battle of Garibpur • Battle of Boyra • Operation Chengiz Khan • Battle of Longewala • Battle of Hilli • Meghna Heli Bridge • Tangail Airdrop • Battle of Basantar • PNS Ghazi • Operation Trident • East Pakistan Air Operations, 1971 • INS Khukri • more...
Political and military leaders India Indira Gandhi • Sam Manekshaw • K P Candeth • J S Aurora • Gopal Gurunath Bewoor • J.F.R. Jacob• Sagat Singh• M L Thapan• T N Raina• Sartaj Singh• N C Rawlley• K K Singh • Kuldip Singh Chandpuri •Kulwant Singh Pannu    Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto • Yahya Khan •A. A. K. Niazi • A. O. Mitha • Gul Hassan Khan • Rao Farman Ali • Sahabzada Yaqub Khan • Tikka Khan Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman • Tajuddin Ahmed • Muhammad Mansur Ali • A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman • M. A. G. Osmani • Ziaur Rahman • Khaled Mosharraf Valour India L/Nk Albert Ekka †• Fg Off N.J.S. Sekhon†• 2nd Lt Arun Khetarpal†• Maj Hoshiar Singh    Pakistan Major Muhammad Akram†• Plt Off Rashid Minhas†• Major Shabbir Sharif †• J/Swr Muhammad Hussain†• L/Nk Muhammad Mahfuz† Bangladesh Eng off Ruhul Amin†• Flt Lt Matiur Rahman†