The Unsung Hero of the Jammu Kashmir Invasion: Lt Col Prithi Singh Salathia

After capturing Muzzaffarabad the invaders moved towards Srinagar to annex the state by force but they did not know that Brigadier Singh with 100 Dogras was waiting for them. When their column of 6000 Pakistani with hundreds of vehicles reached Garhi just about 15 Kms from Muzzaffarabad, Brigadier Rajinder spotted them at Garhi. When the column was about 100 yards Brigadier Rajinder Singh ordered the then young Captain Prithi Singh to stop them and open fire when in range.

Captain Prithi Singh was one of the most trusted officers of Brigadier Rajinder Singh.

Captain Prithi Singh Salathia moved forward and captured the leading Pakistani vehicle. After killing the driver and the occupants he drove the vehicle but the vehicle being of the enemy was fired upon heavily by Dogra forces and the vehicle was damaged in the middle of the road and the tyres were bursted.Captain Prithi Singh came out and was also wounded by own fire and he had to be evacuted.But he had done his job. He had haulted the Pakistani invasion as the vehicle with burst tyres could not be moved , the road was blocked where the enemy suffered more than 200 dead and could not move till the dusk thereby giving chance to the Dogra forces to move back and hold Uri and blow the Uri bridge on 24th which caused further delay of 4 days which enabled Maharaja Hari Singh to accede to the Indian union and to get the Indian Army to Kashmir on 27th October.

It was the battle of Garhi which helped to blow the Uri Bridge which saved the State. Captain Prithi Singh has remained unsung hero but the state will never forget his contribution.

Content : MajGen Goverdhan Singh Jamwal (Retd)

Pic : Lt Col Rajinder Singh (Retd)