As the raids and ambushes were going on in different areas at different times. We were preparing to launch small scale conventional attacks on lightly held Pakistani positions with a view to capture and hold the grounds for future military operations. In my sector, Pakistani position near Pourshuram was choosen as the first target and from the morning of 3rd October was started detailed reconnaissance. Since the beginning of October, as the raids and ambushes increased in intensity, frequency and ferocity, the Pakistanis became more jittery and nervous. Indian military officials and myself came under intense fire from Pakistani M. G's and mortars during the reconnaissance. A civilian in the area was injured by stray firing. This type of sporadic firing was common feature in the battlefront from October onward.
On 4 October further reconnaissance was carried out in other areas for suitable targets. At the same time we had to evaluate the battle worthiness of our fighting force.
The regular soldiers had remained in the battle front from the beginning of the fighting. They had no rest and were almost continuously engage in battle. Such continuous engagement in battle affected their fighting capability. They needed rest. regrouping, rearmament. But we could not afford to provide reasonable rest since the number of regular troops were limited. And we would be required to carry out the immediate military tasks with these very troops.
The guerillas themselves had come under tremendous pressure. They were moderately trained. The lack of adequate training was compensated to some extent by motivation and commitment to the cause of independence. We however observed that a certain amount of fear was impeding their fighting ability. The fear was not so much for their personal safety. It was of the savage reprisal by the Pakistan Army against innocent civilian population in the surrounding areas where guerilla actions took place. As a result, the guerillas were hesitant to go into action in areas with civilian population nearby.
This hesitation in the mind of the freedom fighters allowed free hand to the Razakars who created a reign of terror and intolerable nuisance for the people. Yet with all these difficulties we were continuing conventional attacks as well as guerilla actions.
At 10-00 a.m. on 4 October, 2 Pakistani soldiers were killed near Guthuma BOP. Next day on 5 October a senior Indian military officer visited out headquarter for coordination on the future military operations and at 11-00 a.m. that day an ambush near East Debpur BOP left 2 enemy killed. One of our soldier suffered minor injuries.
On 6 October reconnaissance with Brig Shabcg Singh and the commanders of various Indian army units deployed along the border area near Sreenagar was carried out, At 2-45 that afternoon a guerilla group blew up bridge between Chagalnaya and Muhuriganj. At the same time raid on Pakistani position in Karimganj Bazar High School left 3 Pakistani soldiers killed. 5 Razakars and 1 civilian were also killed in the encounter.
At 3 p.m. that day I visited number 2 Sector Headquarters at Melaghar for inter sector coordination meeting with Sector Commander Khaled Mosharraf. There we received information of heavy concentration of Pakistan Army in Chagalnaya arca.
