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Rare Photos Of Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948

Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic


Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic


Hyderabad State Forces (Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic)



Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic


Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic


Razakars, a private militia organized by Qasim Razvi to support the rule of Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan (Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic)



Indian Army Vehicles (Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic)


Azam Jah (Prince of Berar) Eldest Son of Last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan Asif Jah VII (Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic)


Indian Army Tanks (Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic)
 
Indian Army Tanks (Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic)


Operation Polo / Hyderabad Police Action 1948 Pic
 
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Interesting looking uniforms.
 
@rezangahir Thanks for sharing, great stuff.

Just need to clarify few things.

(i) The Razakhars are called "private". This suggest that they were operating without the sanction of the legal government of Hyderabad. Was that the case? To me they appear to be uniformed and look more like auxiliary force like say a reserve units or homeguard. Maybe even hastily prepared civil defence force. As long as they have official sanction of the government they cannot be called "private". That would only apply to force raised, operating and in conflict with the legal authority of the said state.

(ii) What was the strength of the invading Indian Army. In particular do you have any idea of numbers, units taking part in this invasion?

Thanks.
 
@rezangahir Thanks for sharing, great stuff.

Just need to clarify few things.

(i) The Razakhars are called "private". This suggest that they were operating without the sanction of the legal government of Hyderabad. Was that the case? To me they appear to be uniformed and look more like auxiliary force like say a reserve units or homeguard. Maybe even hastily prepared civil defence force. As long as they have official sanction of the government they cannot be called "private". That would only apply to force raised, operating and in conflict with the legal authority of the said state.

(ii) What was the strength of the invading Indian Army. In particular do you have any idea of numbers, units taking part in this invasion?

Thanks.
sir the sources which i came across suggests ...

1.35000 Infantry of indian army

2. An armoured regiment

while according to The Prime Minister of Hyderabad, Mir Laik Ali, boasted that ‘If the Indian government takes any action against Hyderabad, 100,000 men/militia/razakar are ready to fight.

..............................................................................................................................................................................................

By K E Eapen


Let me recall two stories reflecting his arrogance of power. As a young man who had to walk from the City’s Abid road to Narayanaguda YMCA, where I stayed, meant negotiating King Kothi Palace Road. All walkers had to remove footwear before the palace gates as policeman on duty would not want to disturb the ruler; Aala Hazrat Araam Karrchehain (His Majesty is resting). The other tale was his daily visit to the mosque across river Mussi in the Charminar area. Usually the long route was watered and closed for traffic, so that the Nizam’s Sedan car could zoom through.

As the Indian army was rolling towards Hyderabad, my Bengalee friends (Roy and Sen Gupta) and I cycled to Begumpet to welcome the unit. None else was in the streets. Rasakars had blown up many bridges. The Madras Sappers and Miners were quick in repairing them so that the army battalions could proceed to Hyderabad. The total strength of the Indian forces was around 35,000 compared to Hyderabad’s 40,000 under Major General El Edroos, the Nizam’s Commander in Chief. He was a tall and majestic Arab. He left the state before long. Rasakars who went to fight numbered about 10,000. To the Indian army’s causality of 10 or so, some 1400 of Razvi men perished along with Hyderabad’s 807 during the five-day “Operation Polo”.

Choudhuri rode into Hyderabad as the head of an armoured column on Sept 17. The Nizam went on air and asked his forces to ceasefire by 5:00 pm. He banned the Rasakars and allowed Union Troops into Secundarabad and Bolarum. Razvi was arrested on the 19th. Choudhuri took over the state as Military Governor. On Nov 24, he handed over control to a civilian Governor following Nizam’s accession to the Indian Union. Razvi had the support of Pakistan and had melted into that nation, India overlooking his departure.

This nostalgic wandering on the dim, uneven murky memory lane has to end after the mention of stumbling on royalty. Muffakom, the grandson of the Nizam wanted my help to set up a world class institute of mass communication in Hyderabad. I went twice to Hyderabad with a team of experts, but the project fell through as his advisers told the prince that it was too expensive and too ambitious for Indian needs of the day.

On another occasion, while in Hyderabad, Muffakom invited me to the devadi (palace) for dinner. He was apologetic that he could not provide a good meal. All his good cooks had migrated to Saudi Arabia, he said. The prince was trying to be too polite. Rare fruits, adorned the dinner table. Food was in plenty, excellent, and we ended with the famous “double ka meetta” of the City. He lives mostly in London these days.

This was a story which had three turns — walking near the palace on King Kothi road with shoes in hand, the breath-stopping five day operation polo, and sitting at table with the royal family. History makes us act different roles with the changing tides.
 
@rezangahir Thanks. So they used 35,000 infantry which is less than two divisions and on armoured regimant. Amazing, absolutely amazing. This shows how right from the begining Indian leadership proved to be efficent and capable.

Hyderabad State - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

India invaded Hydrabad State which had over 16 million people and within 5 days had cleared and established otal control. Fast, furious and efficent. Job done. Now, 67 years later it is forgotten about.

Now compare Jammu Kashmir. Population 4 million which is four times smaller than Hydrabad Free State. Pakistan could easily have sent in one half a division of about 10,000 men and 5 days later J&K would have been cleared exactly like Hyderabad Free State and today it also would be forgotten.

Instead you know what happened ...............


Ps. In fact they could have named the operation "Police Action Kashmir".
 
Sardar Patel, a lion among men!

Pity he couldn't live longer and wasn't the first PM.

Him and Rajaji disagreed with Nehru's economic policies and direction....but Nehru was stubborn and snobbish enough to completely bypass their concerns. We can now only think of the what if's.....all those lost years could have been magnitudes more productive for Indian society.

Now compare Jammu Kashmir. Population 4 million which is four times smaller than Hydrabad Free State. Pakistan could easily have sent in one half a division of about 10,000 men and 5 days later J&K would have been cleared exactly like Hyderabad Free State and today it also would be forgotten.

Both Nehru and Jinnah suffered from indecision and lack of bold action. They were influenced by British "politeness" and "niceties" in this regard. It was a who dares wins type of situation in Kashmir.....and had either side gone all out to fully resolve the situation at the appropriate time, we would not be having this ongoing bone of contention today still (it would have been solved one way or the other decisively).....but again its a series of what if scenarios :undecided:
 
@rezangahir Thanks. So they used 35,000 infantry which is less than two divisions and on armoured regimant. Amazing, absolutely amazing. This shows how right from the begining Indian leadership proved to be efficent and capable.

Hyderabad State - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

India invaded Hydrabad State which had over 16 million people and within 5 days had cleared and established otal control. Fast, furious and efficent. Job done. Now, 67 years later it is forgotten about.

Now compare Jammu Kashmir. Population 4 million which is four times smaller than Hydrabad Free State. Pakistan could easily have sent in one half a division of about 10,000 men and 5 days later J&K would have been cleared exactly like Hyderabad Free State and today it also would be forgotten.

Instead you know what happened ...............


Ps. In fact they could have named the operation "Police Action Kashmir".
Unrelated analogy ....while majority of the hyderabad population was pro india kashmiris would've made a free Republic outside modern india and pakistan.

infact invading lashkar started raping and plundering the local kashmiri populace once they overrun Dogras.

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local kashmiri women in 1948
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Unrelated analogy ....while majority of the hyderabad population was pro india kashmiris would've made a free Republic outside modern india and pakistan.


The real difference was this...... Sardar Patel was in charge of the Hyderabad Policy, just as we was tasked to get all the Princely States into the Union; which he did swiftly and decisively.

In contrast, Kashmir was kept by Nehru under his own jurisdiction and out of Patel's purview. This fact is documented. But, even then Patel did try to counsel in the matter. One example of this is when the Cabinet met under the Chairmanship of Mountbatten as G-G to discuss the Maharaja's fervent appeal for assistance, when the Razakars had entered into Kashmir. He had not signed the instrument of Accession at that point of time, so India had no obligation to help him. At that crucial meeting Nehru went talking all over the place till Patel asked him to come to the point of the agenda. Nehru went off again on another rant. At which point Patel stepped in and told V.Shankar (i think he was the Cabinet Secretary) and Col.Maneckshaw (then DGMO) who was attending as an aide of the COAS, Gen. Bucher; that there were orders were to get the I of A from the Maharaja, then India would assist. They flew off in a Dakota and the rest is history. Read what Inder Malhotra has written on this.

Your conjecture about the situation is incorrect. Kashmir and Kashmiris of that time were radically different from now. They did not care one way or another, they would have been happy enough just to get rid of Maharaja Hari Singh. If it had been left to Patel, Kashmir would have been a different story.
 
Police action is actually an invasion. India is consists of many states that should be independent, Hyderabad is just one of them?
 
Police action is actually an invasion. India is consists of many states that should be independent, Hyderabad is just one of them?
Hello!
I hope you are an american not a boggy false flager..
Will your USA Admin allow one of your state a.k.a las vegas to join russia? why?
Hyderabad is surrounded by other indian states..why should we her country to get hand over and face nuisance daily?
 
Hello!
I hope you are an american not a boggy false flager..
Will your USA Admin allow one of your state a.k.a las vegas to join russia? why?
Hyderabad is surrounded by other indian states..why should we her country to get hand over and face nuisance daily?

He is an American who believes USA is a British creation, that i guess should clarify the bolded part ;)

Interesting that the leader of Razakers was a Ghavzva-e-Hind junkie. :lol:

Hyder emerged from his conversations with Razvi with the impression that the Razakar leader believed the Muslims would once again become the rulers of India and the Nizam, the ruler in Delhi.
 

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