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DR. MADHULIKA SINGH
In the annals of India’s military history, few names stand out with such tragic heroism as that of Lieutenant Colonel Narain Singh, whose courage, conviction, and ultimate sacrifice during the Pakistani tribal invasion of 1947 remain etched in the nation’s collective memory.
Born on March 11, 1907, in a proud military family of Shri Hira Singh in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, Narain Singh showed early promise of leadership. A graduate of Boys High School, Samba, he joined the 7th J&K Battalion of the State Forces, embarking on a military journey that would span over 25 years.
During World War II, Narain Singh earned acclaim for his role in the campaign against the Japanese Army. His exemplary leadership and bravery in combat were recognised by the British Government with the prestigious Order of the British Empire (OBE), a rare honour for an Indian officer of the time.
By 1947, he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, entrusted with the command of the 4th J&K Infantry Battalion, known reverently as ‘Fateh Shibji’, the oldest battalion in the State Forces.
As Partition tore through the subcontinent in 1947, communal tensions seeped into the ranks of military units. Lt. Col. Narain Singh’s battalion comprised two Dogra companies and two Muslim companies, many hailing from the sensitive Mirpur-Poonch region.
The Muslim personnel of his battalion, mostly from Mirpur-Poonch area, were already disgruntled and had close affinities with their co-religionists living on the other side of the border. Additionally, owing to various intelligence reports regarding the plans of sabotage and desecration in collaboration with the Pakistani army, Maharaja Hari Singh was apprehensive of the loyalty of the Muslim companies of Narain Singh’s battalion. But Colonel Narayan Singh, being a staunch patriotic army man, could never distrust the loyalties of soldiers on the premise of religion.
He categorically rejected the apprehension of distrust on the Muslim soldiers of his battalion as he had been commanding the Muslim troops of the state army for the last six years. Moreover, the 4th battalion had perhaps the best record of Hindu-Muslim unity among all ranks. However, Narain Singh was repeatedly warned to remain alert and careful about the religious inclination of the Muslim personnel towards Pakistan but he expressed his full faith in them and subsequently had to pay a heavy price.
On the night of October 21-22, 1947, Pakistan launched Operation Gulmarg, a clandestine military campaign designed to seize Kashmir by force. Thousands of tribal raiders, backed by Pakistani Army regulars, crossed into Jammu and Kashmir, breaching the Standstill Agreement and descending upon Muzaffarabad.
In a couple of hours that followed, hell was let loose in the city- arson, loot, massacre, rape and everything else that may be expected of the barbarians. Most of the houses in the town were set ablaze after looting and plundering. Narain Singh was ordered by Maharaja Hari Singh to march to the frontier region of Muzaffarabad via Domel to defend Kashmir. As the apprehensions were, the Muslim element of the 4th battalion of JAK at Lohargali and Ramkote, swept by religious fanaticism, committed the pusillanimous act by joining hands with their co-religionists in the enemy force. They led the Pakistani invaders to pre-arranged positions in the areas around Muzaffarabad and Domel and liquidated the posts of the 4th battalion of the state armed forces that were holding out. The desertions by Muslim troops of the state battalion made the job of the invaders easy and the company of the state forces at the border could not give adequate resistance to the enemy.
Consequently, the raiders easily reached Muzaffarabad, where Lt. Col. Narain Singh with a company at Domel offered some resistance. Though shocked at the outlandish act of his trustworthy soldiers, he did not lose heart. Immediately pulling himself altogether, he planned the strategy to face this adverse challenge and outmaneuver the advancing danger. Although fighting against such a large force of the Pakistani dreaded tribals was a sure death, the courageous Colonel shunned all the fear and fought bravely. Fighting against the great odds with only a few of his Dogra soldiers, he swiftly made a move to join the company at Kohala. However, to the ill fate of the Colonel, the two Muslim Companies of 4th JAK battalion at Kohala and Domel acted in a coordinated move and switched sides to join hands with the Pakistani raiders.
Narain Singh, a valiant soldier and gritty officer, displayed great valour in the battlefield to overcome the marauding raiders and save his motherland. He boldly acted from the front and in a hand-to-hand fight that followed; the Muslim company commander Sher Singh killed his officer Lt. Colonel. Narain Singh and all other Dogra officers stationed there. It was a severe treachery and a great blow to the defense of J&K. The courageous Colonel gave the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the nation. His gallant action kept the enemy’s forces engaged for the whole day that provided ample time to the state forces deployed in Srinagar Headquarters to plan strategy for the further course of action.
