One of the bloodiest battles fought by the Indian Army was the Battle of Hilli during the 1971 war.
One of the bloodiest battles fought by the Indian Army was the Battle of Hilli during the 1971 war.
The battle raged on even after Pakistan had officially conceded defeat to India in the war. Bogora was important in the as it was the Pakistani Army’s District Headquarters and an important communications centre, equipped with a substantial railway yard and an air strip and was connected to Dacca and other parts of East Pakistan by rail, road and air. The objective of the Indian Army was to control Bogora, thereby cutting off Pakistan forces in the north from the rest of East Pakistan. The best way of getting to Bogora was through Hilli. That was the reason why the capture of Hilli was crucial from an Indian point of view.
What made this battle particularly noteworthy was that the enemy was determined and dug its heels deep into the ground to defend it. While at some of the places in East Pakistan, the Pakistani soldiers were busy pillaging, raping and murdering, the Indian army encountered an enemy at Hilli which was well prepared, backed with enormous firepower, heavily fortified and strategically placed. By no means was it going to be an easy objective.
Every inch of the ground was fought fiercely for and soldiers on both sides were decorated for their valour in this battle. It took the exemplary bravery of the soldiers of one of the most professional armies of the world to finally emerge victorious. Lance Naik Albert Ekka received the sole Param Veer Chakra awarded for a battle in the eastern sector in the 1971 war.


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