Disarmament of the Khampas

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By the early 70’s, some 9000 “Khampas” (Tibetan tribesmen resisting Chinese authority) had crossed over to Nepal and established various high altitude camps which they used as launch pads for operations into the Chinese Autonomous Region of Tibet. By 1973, these fighters, initially enjoying substantial foreign material and moral support, decided to invest the remote Nepalese District of Mustang as a firm base. After various diplomatic initiatives, Nepal was finally compelled to carry out military operations to disarm the Khampas. A brigade sized RNA taskforce left Pokhara on 15th June 1974. The main battle group was based on Shree Sri Nath Battalion and the effort included units or elements from:

• Shree Sri Nath Battalion

• Shree Raj Dal Battalion (Arty)

• Shree Bhairab Nath Battalion (Para)

• Shree Kali Prashad Battalion (Engineers)

• Shree Ganesh Dal Battalion (Signals)

• Shree First Rifle Battalion

• Shree Indra Dhoj Company

• Shree Ahridaman Company

• Shree Chandan Nath Company

The Indradhoj Company served as the Vanguard in the long, difficult mountain advance from Pokhara - Naudanda - Hile - Ghodepane - Dana - Ghasa - Lete - Marpha - Jomsom The RNA Air Corps played a crucial role, conducting extremely hazardous resupply and other missions in a largely uncharted, radar less high altitude environment. With the RNA poised to strike, if necessary, the Khampa Commander Wangdi agreed to disarm in 31st July 1974. It soon became evident that Wangdi himself intended to escape, resulting in a series of cordon and search operations resulting in the capture of:

• Rifles - 543

• Bren Guns - 75

• Sten Guns -35

• Pistols - 16

• 60 mm Mortars - 8 (385 bombs)

• 57 mm RCL - 7 (320 shells)

• Communication sets - 5

• All types of ammunition - 2,02,349.

Wangdi, however, initially managed to slip out through a high altitude mountain pass and moved with his selected party of 50 - 60 towards the western border of Nepal, hundreds of kilometers away. His luck ran out when reports of their attempt to loot a Nepal Police Post in Mugu (Far Western Nepal) focused the search operations.

He eventually succumbed to a RNA ambush carried out by an element of Shree Ahridaman Company in Tinkerlipu on 15th Sep 1974, bringing this episode to a victorious conclusion for the RNA. It is to the credit of Nepal that the Khampas who opted to remain in Nepal were provided land and have since settled peacefully.