Fairs will be held every year on the funeral pyres of the martyrs; this will be the mark of those who died for the country.

Mohd Maqbool Sherwani was born in a Kashmiri family, at Baramulla. Maqbool joined the National Conference in 1939. He was a staunch supporter of united India and vehemently opposed the idea of a separate state of Pakistan. Maqbool disrupted a public rally of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Baramulla on 25 July 1944 by raising the slogan “Sher-i- Kasmirka kyaIrshad? (What does the lion of Kashmir want?) Hindu, Muslim, Sikh Ithaad” (The unity of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh). Little did he know that time that he would be instrumental in saving thousands of lives later on in the month of October 1947.

Post partition in October 1947, Pakistan launched Operation Gulmarg on October 2020-21, 1947 with about 20,000 tribesmen (Kabailis). Pakistan also provided the core group of some officers and men from the regular army to form the hard core of the raiders and assist in planning, coordination and control of operations. Fire support from artillery guns, arms and ammunition was also provided. These raiders thus started their marauding and looting spree by taking over the bridges spanning the Neelum River on the Hazara road linking Muzaffarabad and Abbottabad (now Pakistan Illegally Occupied Jammu Kashmir-PIOJK) and occupied the first major town of Muzaffarabad by October 21 and then moved further towards Uri. The first India-Pakistan War had formally begun that day. Major General (then Colonel) Akbar Khan of the Pakistan Army was the mastermind who had organised these attacks in the garb of tribal raiders.

The raiders had a plan to reach Srinagar from the Handwara & Gulmarg axis to capture and control the Srinagar airport. With the ultimate aim of isolating Srinagar from the rest of India.During the war, a national militia was formed in Kashmir to counter the raiders (Kabailis) led by the Pakistan Army. Maqbool voluntarily offered to go undercover into areas controlled by the tribesmen.  He would ride village to village on his motorbike and hold public meetings and campaigns to unify them and collectively take on the raiders. On 24 October 1947, Baramulla faced the brunt of these Raiders who went on a rampage killing, looting, raping and burning. The orgy of violence went on for three days during which at least 3000 people were slain and half the town was burnt. It is reported that the loot was so much that some of the raiders went back to leave the loot before coming for more. Hundreds of young women were forcibly taken away to be sold as slaves in Pakistan. On the fateful night of 24 October 1947, after Pakistani raiders ransacked the town of Baramulla they were poised to move towards Srinagar. Vigilant and determined to save the integrity of their motherland Maqbool unmindful of his safety risked his life to misguide them about route to Srinagar, thus they wandered in Sumbal area for about four days. His valour and presence of mind provided a crucial time for the Indian Army to reach Srinagar Airport and defend it.

On 27 October following the accession of the state to India, Indian troops were airlifted to Srinagar, the state capital. India airlifted troops and equipment to Srinagar under the command of Lt. Col. Dewan Ranjit Rai, MVC (Posthumous) where they reinforced the princely state forces, established a defence perimeter and defeated the tribal forces on the outskirts of the city. Initial operations included the notable defence of Badgam holding both the capital and airfield overnight against extreme odds where in Maj Somnath Sharma was awarded the prestigious Param Vir Chakra posthumously for his gallant action and sacrifice during the Battle of Badgam. The successful defence included an outflanking manoeuvre by Indian armoured cars during the Battle of Shalateng. The defeated tribal forces were pursued as far as Baramulla and Uri and these towns, too, were recaptured.

If Maqbool had not been successful in misguiding the raiders for those four days and the Indian troops had not landed in the thick of the battle the outcome of the 1947 war would have been entirely different. Later antagonized by Maqbool’s actions and to strike terror in the minds of the local population, he was crucified and shot dead on 07 November 1947. During the last moments of his life raiders gave him the option of sparing his life if he shouted “Pakistan Zindabad” (Long Live Pakistan). The Sher-I-Baramulla instead chose martyrdom by shouting “Hindu-Muslim-Sikh Itihad, Azad Hindustan Zindabad” (The unity of Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh, Long Live Independent India). He was then shot dead publically in rage. The heartless raiders didn’t even hesitate to fire fourteen bullets into the martyr’s dead body.

His sacrifice did not go in vain and Kashmir was saved later. His act of valour and love for his motherland gained him the title of “Lion of Baramulla”, inspiring numerous young and old Kashmiris till date. In remembrance of Maqbool Sherwani, the Indian Army has named the Second Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry after Maqbool Sherwani, which is known as “Sherwani Paltan”. The “Balidan Stambh” monument of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry of the Indian Army also bears the name of Maqbool Sherwani. Maqbool Sherwani achieved martyrdom and his heroics will always be etched on the hearts of millions of Indians and the country will forever remain indebted to the “Lion of Baramulla” for his supreme sacrifice