The partition of British India in 1947 and the hurried accession of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir plunged the region into a complex and violent struggle. Among the most dramatic events of that era was the tribal invasion often referred to as the “Kabali Raid” in late October 1947. This invasion targeted the Kashmir Valley, including the town of Baramulla, and left an indelible impact on all communities among them the Sikh minority.
After the British departure in August 1947, the princely
state of Jammu & Kashmir under its monarch Hari Singh was faced with a
choice whether to join India or Pakistan. A “Stand-Still Agreement” with
Pakistan was negotiated, but tensions and infiltration had already begun.At the
same time, Pakistan formulated a plan (under the codename often cited as
Operation Gulmarg) to secure the valuable territory of Kashmir by way of a
covert tribal invasion. The strategy aimed at capturing the strategic airfield
at Srinagar, gaining a foothold in the Valley, and forcing a favourable
accession. The structure of the
invading force was a mixture of tribal
lashkars from the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
assisted by Pakistani regulars in mufti (civil dress) and local collaborators.
These forces moved in large numbers around 20–22 October 1947 across the border
at Domel, Kohala, Muzaffarabad and other points.
In the hours after 20 October 1947, the invading tribal
forces moved swiftly into Muzaffarabad, Domel, Uri and then Baramulla. By 24–26
October, they had reached Baramulla, approximately one hour’s drive from
Srinagar. Baramulla, at the time a prosperous town with a mixed Hindu, Sikh and
Muslim population, was overwhelmed. The invaders engaged in mass looting,
arson, rapes and murders. A contemporary ministry report describes.Terror
stalked the streets.The deserted streets lay silent, echoing only to the rattle
of the raiders’ nailed boots. A thick pall of smoke hung over the ravaged town
and flames from burning houses cast a lurid glare. The tactic of the invaders
was to move rapidly, disrupt
communications, capture the Srinagar airfield, and thereby deny the Indian
Government a foothold. Their progress was however slowed in part due to their
own indiscipline plunder,abduction and
their clash with the Sikh community for 2 days
in the Sikh Dominated Village Ichama of the District Budgam where they
fought braverly with their crude weapons,diverted them from the main objective,
thereby giving the defenders precious time.
Simultaneously, the local state forces and police in J&K were
ill-prepared. They faced defections, lack of ammunition, and surprise attacks.
The tribal forces exploited local guides, some of whom supplied the invaders
with lists of Hindu and Sikh households to target.
The airlift of Indian troops into Srinagar on 27 October
marked a critical turning point. The 1st Battalion, The Sikh Regiment (1 Sikh)
was among the first to arrive under the leadership of Dewan Ranjit Rai
(posthumously awarded the Mahavir Chakra).
Before 1947, the Sikh community in the Kashmir Valley was a small
minority. They were engaged in agriculture, local trades, state employment, and
religious life centred around their gurdwaras. They lived alongside Hindus and
Muslims in the complex mosaic of Kashmiri society.Because of their visible
turbans and beards, many Sikhs stood out in the local populace. This visibility
would become a factor in their specific targeting during the invasion. Sikh families in villages along the Jhelum
corridor (Muzaffarabad, Baramulla, Ichama, Choora, etc.) were particularly
exposed, as the invaders advanced along those routes.
When the tribal raiders advanced, the Sikh community found
themselves in the path of both strategic incursion and targeted violence.On 22
October 1947, many Sikh families along the Muzaffarabad-Poonch-Baramulla axis
faced extreme brutality killings, rapes, abduction, plunder.
The invaders’ slogan that appears in multiple accounts was:
“Hindu ka zarr (money & women)… Sikh ka saar (heads of the Sikhs)… Musalman
ka ghar (food & support).” This explicitly indicates that Sikhs were
singled out for decapitation or killing.Many Sikhs formed armed resistance
albeit with crude weapons: shotguns, swords, spears, and whatever arms they
could capture. These were local defence efforts rather than formal army
operations. In the face of extreme
threat to honour and life, some Sikh women and children took desperate
actions—including jumping into the river Jhelum near sopore,baramulla bridge
and at many places upto muzaffarabad or inscribing their own death rather than
risk abduction or rape.Even some young womens were axed to death in order to
protect their diginity and honour from being vviolated through abduction and
rape Nowpora village of the district of Baramulla village is one such
example.
Several Sikh gurdwaras and villages became defence points
for the local Sikh community. For example, in Muzaffarabad area at Gurdwara
Chhatt Padshahi Naloochi many Sikhs gathered to defend themselves.
Despite being few in number and poorly armed, the Sikh
community played a significant role in resisting the invaders, delaying their
advance and thus contributing to the larger defence of Jammu & Kashmir.
Sikh fighters managed to delay the Kabali invaders’ advance
from Muzaffarabad to Baramulla from about 22 to 26 October 1947 — approximately
four days and the major .They also set up improvised defences (morchas) in
buildings, gurdwaras, hills near villages like Domel, Dhana, Atna, Ichahama and
Kanahama.Their efforts bought critical time for the Indian side: the arrival of
the Indian Army on 27 October 1947 would not have been possible without such
delay.Therefore, what the Sikh community lacked in numbers and conventional
arms they made up for in courage and local knowledge close to home terrain,
fierce defence of their families and honour, and a willingness to fight.The
invaders aimed to capture the Srinagar airfield and force the Maharaja’s hand.
Their failure to secure that objective meant that Indian troops could be
air-lifted in quickly (e.g., 1 Sikh). The airlift on 27 October became a
milestone the Indian Army’s Infantry Day.
The stalwart defence by Sikhs at the various posts of the
villages and the Indian Army prevented the fall of Srinagar and thereby ensured
that Jammu & Kashmir acceded to India. If the invasion had succeeded, the
political map of the region might have looked very different.
The massacre of civilians, especially Hindus and Sikhs in
Baramulla and other towns, created a refugee crisis and left deep scars. The
attack on gurdwaras, homes, women’s bodies, loss of property and honour
lingered across generations in the Sikh community.Although the contributions of
the Sikh community are now gradually being recognized, many feel that their
sacrifices have not been fully acknowledged in public discourse or state
compensation.
For the Sikh community of Jammu & Kashmir, the Kabali raid is not just a historical event — it is part of their identity, sacrifice and contribution to India’s integrity. Yet, the memory remains somewhat fragmented and under-documented
In broader terms, this episode illustrates how the Sikh
community has been an integral but often under-acknowledged part of Jammu &
Kashmir’s modern history.