7 November 1947:- Remembering Maqbool Sherwani whose martyrdom saved Kashmir from Pakistan
07 Nov 2022 13:28:53
Every year on 7 November, tributes are paid to martyr Maqbool Sherwani , a Kashmiri youth killed by Pakistani army in 1947 for blocking their advance towards Srinagar city.
In November 1947, when Pakistani army in the guise of tribals raided, raped and murdered innocent people of Kashmir and began their advance towards Srinagar, Maqbool Sherwani decided to halt their movement.
Maqbool who is fondly known as 'lion of Baramulla’ misguided Pakistani attackers by convincing them to advance in the wrong direction. Sherwani and his volunteers without any military training set up roadblocks, destroyed bridges to protect the access to Srinagar city.
Around 20,000 Pakistanis army men disguised as tribesman had already plundered the beautiful city of Baramulla on 26 October and they were advancing towards Srinagar to capture the strategic airport as it was the only way India could have deployed troops and logistics.
Sherwani intercepted these attackers single handedly. Pakistani were perplexed to see a local citizen on the deserted road , who asked him to guide them in the direction of Srinagar airport. Displaying presence of mind, Sherwani misguided them by convincing them to take the wrong direction. It took them more than three days to cover a distance of one day which saved Kashmir from falling into Pakistani hands.
When Pakistanis realised that they were misled, they caught Sherwani, brutally tortured him before killing. They brought kidnapped Maqbool back to Baramulla to send a message. They crucified him ,pumped 14 bullets into him and mutilated his body. His body was nailed to a plank and tied to two pillars of a hotel, which kept on hanging for many days. Finally, Indian army pulled his body down after he was killed on 7 November 1947.
But Maqbool Sherwani’s martyrdom didn’t go in vain as his brave act provided Indian army ample time to keep Pakistanis away from Srinagar city and saved it.
Maqbool Sherwani was only 19 when crucified by the Pakistanis. In his remembrance , Indian army has named the second battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry after Maqbool Sherwani, which is called 'Sherwani Paltan'.