Kao went to Dhaka and met Mujib
Born in Banaras, Kao learned that the suspension of the assembly was just a sham. Time was being taken through this and some big planning was happening. Then the exercise of agreement between Awami League and Pakistan People’s Party was going on. That’s why the information about the planning of Pak army officers sitting in a club in Lahore reached the Indian agencies. The plan was to arrest Mujib. A division of the army of West Pakistan was sent to East Pakistan. Tanks were delivered. Kao himself left for Dhaka. Kao informs Mujib that preparations are on for his arrest and your life is in danger so go underground.
When PM Indira Gandhi asked Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw what we can do to stop Pakistanis, he asked for 6 months time. Anyway, it was an internal matter of Pakistan. But everyone knew that the civil war in Pakistan was going to have a direct impact on India only. The massacre of all nationalist and educated Bengalis including teachers, lawyers, doctors, engineers started. People left their homes in East Pakistan and started migrating to the states of India. Everyday 40 thousand refugees were coming to India. In a camp in Calcutta, two and a half lakh people had to be fed at one time. By the end of 1971, one million people had arrived. Indira Gandhi had to create a strategic environment, in which she was successful. She went to Europe and America. Good relations were also established with Russia. There was a demand for help from India. Mujeeb had been arrested. The army started training the Mukti Fauj.
trinity of india
Former RAW chief AK Verma says that the leadership of Bangladesh was formed in exile near Calcutta. Mukti Bahini was his army. It was a joint operation of Indian Army, RAW and IB. Shankar Nair was number-2 in RAW. He used to meet Mukti Fauj under the assumed name of Colonel Menon. Slowly the Mukti Fauji started entering back into Bangladesh. These intelligence had started reaching the Indian Army. It is said that then Kao had set up a network in such a way that whatever Pakistan was about to do, India would have come to know in advance. The Indian intelligence agent also had access to the Pakistan Army’s war room. An agent informed that the Pak Air Force has been ordered to attack India’s base suddenly. The attack was to happen within 72 hours. An alternative date was also discovered to be 2 December 1971.
When the attack happened on December 3, the Pakistanis could not do much damage because the army was already prepared and the reason for this was the intelligence input received by RAW. The mistake for which India was eagerly waiting, was committed by Pakistan. India was ready for war. The war went on for 14 days. Pakistan got a befitting reply in both East and West regions. The army had already won a victory in Jessore, Bangladesh. Now a very bold decision was taken to reach Dhaka. Paratroopers air-dropped behind enemy lines were met by Mukti Bahini soldiers. Dacca was besieged. On 16 December 1971, at 4 pm, General Niazi signed the surrender letter. The Indian Army was welcomed as heroes in Dhaka.
East Pakistan was to become Bangladesh and it was planned and done in 9 months. The creation of Bangladesh is a great example of successful intelligence, but the success of intelligence missions is not mentioned that much. Full credit goes to RN Kao and Shankar Nair. PM Indira Gandhi, Chief of the Indian Army Sam Manekshaw along with RAW Chief RN Kaw are also named if the three Indians who broke Pakistan into two pieces are mentioned. Initially, Kav selected 250 sharp minded IB officers for RAW. Later the agents of Kava spread all over the world. Understand the expertise of the crow from the fact that the people who got training liked to call themselves ‘Cowboys’.