https://swarajyamag.com/politics/descent-into-danger-the-jaffna-university-helidrop
INDEX
(4) THE SRI LANKAN INSURGENCY: A REBALANCING OF THE ORTHODOX POSITION :- https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/bitstream/2438/13366/1/FulltextThesis.pdf
(3)Descent Into Danger :The Jaffna University Helidrop :- https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2019/08/source-httpsswarajyamag.html
(2)IngloriousWar Fought Gloriouslyin Lanka : https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2021/07/ipkf-inglorious-war-fought-gloriously.html
(1)Reminiscences of an IPKF Peacekeeper: https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2021/07/ipkf-reminiscences-of-ipkf-peacekeeper-r.html
IPKF : Descent Into Danger :The Jaffna University Hellidrop
BY
JAGAN PILLARISETTI
Background
(1) Video Click to open............HERE
OR
GOOGLE URL TO OPEN : https://youtu.be/ULDYqMRrSxQ
”Details are now available of the action on the night of October 12th when 29 Indian soldiers were killed and one was taken prisoner in a Commando raid on Jaffna University. The raid was carried out by a group of Para Commandos ferried to a landing ground by Helicopters. While the first force of Para Commandos were dropped and carried out their mission successfully, a second force of 30 jawans from 13 Sikh LI regiment were surrounded and fought valiantly to the last man last bullet before being overwhelmed”—The Hindu, October 20th, 1987.
The Opportunity
The Briefing
H-Hour
The Second Drop
Confusion and Delay
Stock taking at Palaly
Stirring the Hornets Nest.
Post Mortem
1. The Sikh LI troops were dropped at a different location from where the main force of the Para Commandos were. Further the India Today article carried a Photograph accompanying the general area shows a small ground to the south of the main football ground. An accompanying legend suggested that the Sikh LI troops were dropped separately at this smaller ground.2. Both reports suggested that the Sikh LI troops were heli dropped “right on top of LTTE battlements”.
Originally a reinforced division with small naval and air elements, the IPKF at its peak deployed four divisions and nearly 80,000 men with one mountain (4th) and three Infantry Divisions (36th, 54th, 57th) as well as supporting arms and services. At the peak of its operational deployment, IPKF operations also included a large Indian Paramilitary Force and Indian Special Forces elements. Indeed, Sri Lanka was first theatre of active operation for the Indian Navy Commandos. The main deployment of the IPKF was in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Upon its withdrawal from Sri Lanka the IPKF was renamed the 21st Corps and was headquartered near Bhopal and became a quick reaction force for the Indian Army.
Indian Army
The first Indian Army troops to be inducted into Sri Lanka were a ten thousand strong force from the 54th Infantry Division commanded by Major General Harkirat Singh, which flew into Palali Airbase from 30 July onwards.[24] This was followed later by the 36th Infantry Division.
By 1987, the IPKF consisted of:
- 54th Infantry Division
- 10th Battalion, Parachute Regiment (Special Forces)
- 65 Armoured Regiment
- 6th Battalion, Brigade of the Guards
- 91 Infantry Brigade
- 5th Battalion, Madras Regiment
- 8th Battalion, Mahar Regiment
- 1st Battalion, Maratha Light Infantry
- 76 Infantry Brigade
- 12th Battalion, Garhwal Rifle
- 2nd Battalion, Maratha Light Infantry
- 25th Battalion, Rajput Regiment
- 47 Infantry Brigade
- 11th Battalion, Madras Regiment
- 5th Battalion, Maratha Light Infantry
- 14th Battalion, Sikh Light Infantry
- 36 Infantry Division[citation needed]
- 115 Infantry Brigade
- 5th Battalion, 1 Gorkha Rifles
- 72 Infantry Brigade
- 4th Battalion, 5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force).
- 13th Battalion, Sikh Light Infantry
- 41 Infantry Brigade
- 5th Battalion, Rajputana Rifles
- 115 Infantry Brigade
- 57th Infantry Division
- 4th Mountain Division
- Independent Units
- 340 Independent Infantry Brigade (Amphibious)
- 1 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (later part of 57 Inf Div)
- 26 PUNJAB
- 25 Madras
- 3 PUNJAB
- 18 Infantry Brigade
- 4th Battalion, Mahar Regiment
- 12th Battalion, Grenadiers
- 5th Battalion, Parachute Regiment
- 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment (Special forces)
- 9th Battalion, Parachute Regiment (Special forces)
- 13th Battalion, Brigade of the Guards
- 4th Battalion, Assam Regiment
- 15th Battalion Mechanised Infantry Regiment
- 25th Battalion Mechanised Infantry Regiment
- 17 Parachute Field Regiment
- 831 Light Regiment
- 8 Engineer Regiment
- 110 Engineer Regiment
- 340 Independent Infantry Brigade (Amphibious)
Indian Air Force
Soon after its intervention in Sri Lanka and especially after the confrontation with the LTTE, the IPKF received a substantial commitment from the Indian Air Force, mainly transport and helicopter squadrons under the command of Gp.Capt. M.P Premi, including:
- No. 33 Squadron- Antonov An-32s
- No 109 and No. 119 Helicopter Units – Mil Mi-8 helicopters.
- No. 125 HU – Mil Mi-24s.
- No. 664 AOP Squadron Chetak and Cheetah
The Indian Navy regularly rotated naval vessels through Sri Lanka waters, mostly smaller vessels such as patrol boats.
- Indian Naval Air Arm
- No. 321 Squadron of the Indian Navy- HAL Chetaks
- No. 310 Squadron of the Indian Navy- Breguet Alizé
- MARCOS (also the Marine Commando Force or MCF) – Took part in Operation Pawan (Hindi, "wind") in 1987 and in the raid on an LTTE base at Gurunagar. MARCOS operators (including Lt Singh) boarded two Gemini rafts off the coast of Jaffna City and towed two wooden rafts of explosives into a channel leading to the city's Guru Nagar Jetty. Avoiding mines, eight men and two officers shifted to the wooden rafts and paddled to the jetty then fixed demolition charges to the jetty and LTTE speedboats. The commandos were detected but laid down suppressive fire and detonated the explosives before retreating to the Geminis without taking casualties. Two nights later, commandos swam back into the harbour amidst heavy patrolling by the LTTE to destroy the remaining speedboats. They were again detected and sustained minor injuries. These actions helped recapture Trincomalee and Jaffna harbours from the LTTE. For leading these actions, the 30-year-old Lieutenant Arvind Singh became the youngest officer to receive the Maha Vir Chakra.[26]
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